Poles in Plymouth

"Janner" (person from Plymouth area of Devon) born and bred. Born in 1946. Adopted. Mother from Plymouth. Father was a junior officer in the Polish Navy who was based in Plymouth during the war. Three aunts are still alive.

Naval training camp - resettlement camp - never met father - spoke to close friend of father in Scotland. Father died during the war [dockyard death].

Poles stayed in Plymouth post-WW2 - stayed after the war. An Anglo-Polish community still in Plymouth - material collected from Plymouth, family photos and collections.

Not so of last Polish Southern Command in Devonport - photographs.

See book, "Poles Apart" - Stefan Naborski - body brought back to Plymouth.

Albert Road, Devonport - plaque dedicated to Polish Command - photograph.

Plymouth was the only place where the Poles were allowed to march in a 'Victory Day' parade in 1946 - photographs & history.

Polish would not return to Poland in post-war division of Europe.

Polish Command Headquarters building, previously a girls' orphanage for orphaned naval children, now a charitable history society.

Learnt to sail via local group - interviewed old sailors about their war experiences -recording oral histories.

Polish connections throughout Plymouth society - Charles Crichton, Royal Naval Heritage Centre did a lot of work on this.

Plymouth council were not going to mention the 70th anniversary of the 1946 Polish Victory Parade. Charles did an interview on BBC about Polish Naval Heritage, thereby increasing recognition. Despite his own ill health, Charles came out to greet the son of the last Polish commander in Plymouth.

Book: "Poles Apart" - all photos in book
Produced by South West Marine History Society, written by Martin Hazell

Contents:
1. Recording of interviews with Aunt who grew up during war
2. Photos and stories of Polish Navy in Plymouth

[Note: has memory stick containing photos and materials which he would be willing to hand in for research at later point]

Book relates to WW2 only on his mother's side.

It details the story of his aunt who was sent away/evacuated abroad - set sail for Canada - ship sunk (1st casualty of WW2). Aunt ultimately didn't go, and survived bombing in Plymouth.

Recording - aunt talking about different stories. Pembroke docks demolished and new docks built. Aunt died in Pembroke.