Figure 1.--The American Sherman tank had weaknesses, but for the french, Belgian, and Dutch people it wasasynol of liberation. Here two Dutch teengers (Ria Vermeulen and Ineke van Wijck) write messages on a 1st Polish Armoured Division Sherman tank after the liberation of Breda, their hometown in Noord-Brabant Province (late October 1944). Because the Shermans will soon move on and pass through neighboring villages, the Dutch were using them as mobile message boards, letting their, soon to be liberated family and friends, know that they were ok. They are writing 'Tilburgseweg alles goed' (Tilburgse Road, all fine). Note the symbol of the Dutch resistance movement - OZO (Oranje zal Overwinnen - Orange Shall Conquer). And of course we see the orange hair bow nd sash.

The Germans invaded and conquered Poland before the Polish Army receive modern weponry (1939). Througout the War, however the Poles proved fierce fighters and once well armed highly effective militarily. that was proiven by polish airmemn in he Battle of britain (1940). Polish units fought wih the Brirish in the Eaastern Desert and Italy. The 1st Polish Armored Division created at Duns in Scotland (February 1942). It was commanded by Major General Stanisław Maczek The Division destinguosed itself at Falise (August 1944). After Falise, the Division pursued the Germans along the French Channel coast. They liberatedf Saint-Omer, Ypres, Oostnieuwkerke, Roeselare, Tielt, Ruislede, and Ghent. During Operation Pheasant, General Maczek iversa the liberation of the city of Breda without any civilian casualties (October 1944). The Division after Market Farden spent the winter on the south bank of the river Rhine, guarding a sector around Moerdijk, Netherlands (11944-45). They moved to the province of Overijssel and after the Bulge started to push with the Allies along the Dutch-German border (early 1945). They liberate the eastern parts of the provinces of Drenthe and Groningen including the towns of Emmen, Coevorden and Stadskanaal. They fought as part of the First Canadin Army in France and the Nertherlands. They wereequipped with both British and American tanks, but mostly Shermans. Tragically, the men did not get to see a librated Poland after the War. Poland was occupied by the Red Army and turned into a Communist police state. Most of the Polish soldiers in the West decided not to return to a Soviet controlled Poland and ended up in Britain. Poland proved, however, to be a posoned pill for the Soviets. It was in Poland, innspired by the Catholic cgurch and Poilish pope, the fSolidarity free labor movement began to unravel the Soviet Empire. This began began first in Poland (1980s), but eventully other European satelites (1989), and eventually the Soviet Union itself (1991).

Created: 5:46 AM 6/26/2022
Last upodaterd: 5:46 AM 6/26/2022