ORP Thunder (Grom) and ORP Lightning (Błyskawica) were the world’s 2 fastest destroyers when launched for the Polish navy in Cowes in 1936.
In Britain, shipbuilding is most associated with Newcastle. However, in the century between 1865 and 1965, J S White’s of Cowes launched more than 2,500 ships. After World War I, the shipyard employed over 4,500 men and women.
Not only did the shipyards of Cowes build thousands of ships but many were the most advanced in the world at the time. The 2 most famous were the Polish warships Grom and Blyskawica: thunder and lightning in English.
The Poles had hurriedly ordered the 2 destroyers to be built when the Nazis were threatening to incorporate the port of Gdansk (then Danzig) into the Third Reich.
Previously, Poland had had its destroyers constructed in France. However, Cowes shipbuilders J S White’s fought off strong competition, both domestically and internationally, to have the ships made here on the Island.
The destroyers were laid down in East Cowes in 1935 before being nudged across the Medina to be fitted out on the West bank of the Medina. They were launched in 1936 and commissioned in 1937.
Hundreds of Polish sailors were stationed in Cowes during the construction. The entire crew were impeccably behaved, apart from 1 petty officer, who fell in love with a Cowes girl. However, this was a case of unrequited love. After having had his advances rejected, the officer drowned his sorrows, then caused an unfortunate incident in a local bar (not involving the girl).
The petty officer concerned was destined to be court-martialled, imprisoned and then dismissed in disgrace from the Polish Navy.
The Chairman of Cowes Urban District Council, Mr P L Pullinger, wrote to the Polish Chief of Staff, requesting that as this had been the only incident during the sailors’ stay in Cowes, the man might be forgiven.
Cllr Pullinger received the following reply from a Polish Rear-Admiral:
“In view of your intervention, and considering this is the first time he has been punished, this petty officer will bear no other consequences for his ill behaviour.”
Shortly before the Nazi invasion of Poland, Grom and Blyskawica headed to Scotland, where they were to act as convoy escorts. However, when the Germans occupied the whole of Poland, they were unable to return.
The 2 destroyers were put under the operational command of the British Admiralty while retaining Polish crews and commanded by Polish officers.
The Grom distinguished herself in the Norwegian campaign, where she was said to have been the most hated Allied ship for the Germans due to the close attention she paid to hostile movements on shore.
Sadly, the Grom was sunk by a German Heinkel bomber on 4th May 1940, with the loss of 59 of her crew. The wreck of the Grom was found in 1986.
Happily, the Blyskawica survived the Second World War. She was known as a ‘lucky’ ship, as she was seriously damaged on 3 occasions with the loss of just 3 of her crew.
Canadian sailors on joint missions who were unable to pronounce her name christened her ‘bottle of whiskey’. Błyskawica is roughly pronounced: bwee-ska-veets-ah.
The Blyskawica’s greatest moment came in May 1942, when she fought off a Luftwaffe raid on Cowes, where she was being refitted.
Her commander Captain Francki had ignored orders to disarm the vessel while in the harbour, thus allowing the guns from the destroyer to force the German planes to fly high over the town. However, had his ship suffered a direct hit, much of Cowes would have been blown up with her.
Further on the story of the Blyskawica in Cowes may be found here.
Over the course of World War II, Blyskawica sank 3 German U-boats, shot down 4 aircraft, sank 2 German destroyers, 2 further ships and several small German vessels.
Her speed was such that she was only 1 of a few naval craft able to keep up with the liner Queen Mary, which was used as a troop ship during wartime, hence the name ‘Lightning’.
ORP Blyskawica is the only warship to have been awarded Poland’s highest military decoration, the Gold Cross of the Order of Virtuti Militari.
Immediately after the war, Blyskawica took part in Operation Deadlight, in which over 100 German U-boats were scuttled.
In 1947, she returned to Poland – now sadly under Communist rule – where she was converted for anti-aircraft operations.
In 1976, she became a museum ship, berthed at the Navy Museum in the Polish port of Gdynia. She is as well known in Poland as HMS Victory is in the UK. If you are ever in Poland, why not pay the Blyskawica a visit? It is the world’s oldest preserved destroyer.
The Blyckawica and its captain is commemorated in Cowes at Francki Place (near the Painters Arms). Her contribution to the defence of the town is commemorated by the Friends of the Blyskawica Society on 4th/5th May every year – the day of the Cowes Blitz in 1942.
Great article, keep them coming.
Wow great story cowes was amasing back then..
great article but as a Glaswegian, I must take issue with the statement that “In Britain, shipbuilding is most associated with Newcastle” – I think you’ll find that shipbuilding in Britain is most associated with Glasgow and the river Clyde and that the VAST majority of ships built and launched in Britain came from there.