ORP Błyskawica - the oldest preserved destroyer in whole of the world. This destroyer fought during WWII against German U-boots. And sailing frigate Dar Pomorza.

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September 22nd 2010

Published: October 22nd 2010

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marcin954

ORP Błyskawica

View from the bow.

Afterwards I spent holiday together with Ania and Robert I decided to spend little time alone :-)

I desired to visit my two friends whose live in Pomerania in north Poland, they invited too. Tomek lives in Gdańsk and Michał in Chojnice. I arrived at the morning of Wednesday 22th of September to Gdynia, a harbour in east part of Polish coast. Because I had a big advance - spare time before I met with Tomek - and I made up mind to see ORP Błyskawica in Gdynia.

Nowadays ORP Błyskawica (Polish word "błyskawica" means lightning in English) is the oldest preserved destroyer in whole of the world. She was constructed in Cowes's shipyard (Isle of Wight - southern England) in 1936, in the next year she entried into the service in Polish Navy shortly before Nazi Germany and Soviet Union attacked Poland in 1939.

During the WWII war she served for Polish Navy but she had to based in England because Poland was captured and occupied by the enemies.

Two days before the war began, on 30 August 1939, ORP Błyskawica withdrew from Gdynia accompaniated with two other destroyers: Burza and Grom. Vessels sailed from the Baltic

ORP Błyskawica

Ship's bell and plaque with the names of the commanders

Sea to Britain in accordance with the Peking Plan to avoid open conflict (and possible destruction) with Germany's forces. From that time they started to cooperate with the Royal Navy's Home Fleet. At 7th of September 1939, ORP Błyskawica made contact with German U-boot and eventually she attacked the enemy. Attack was successful and probably it was first combat between the Allied and the German vessels in that war.

In early May 1940, ORP Błyskawica took part in the Norwegian Campaign. The vessel was shelling German positions on the mainland and finally her artillery brought down two Luftwaffe aircrafts. Błyskawica's sister Grom was bombed and sunk during the campaign. One month later she took part in covering Operation Dynamo, the successful evacuation of Franco-British forces from endangered Dunkirk.

During the remainder of the war, Błyskawica took part in convoy and patrol duties. She was engaging both U-boots and the Luftwaffe airoplanes in the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. In 1941 her 120 mm guns were replaced with British four-inch (102 mm) anti-aircraft guns. The ship was also given escort duties to troop transports, notably RMS Queen Mary. Błyskawica was very fast and being one of the few ships that

ORP Błyskawica

Torpedo

could keep up with the liner.

On the nights of May 4 and May 5, 1942, Błyskawica was significant role in defending the Isle of Wight town of Cowes from a potentially devastating air raid by 160 German bombers. This was coincidence for Błyskawica and her crew because destroyed had been built there by by J. Samuel White. The ship had to undergo an emergency refit at the shipyard and on the night of the air raid fired repeated rounds at the German bombers from outside the harbour, her guns becoming so hot they had to be doused with water and extra ammunition had to be ferried over from Portsmouth. This ensured the bombers had to stay high to avoid the weapons fire, making it hard for them to target properly. Additionally the ship laid down a smokescreen hiding Cowes from sight. Although a lot of damage was done to the town and the shipyard, it is generally thought that without this defensive action, it would have been far worse. On 8 June 1944, Błyskawica took part in a battle with the German destroyers at Ushant.

During the war, she logged 146,000 nautical miles (270,000 km) and escorted

ORP Błyskawica

Depth charge thrower BMB -2 type

eighty-three convoys. In combat Błyskawica damaged three U-boats and shot down at least four aircraft before the war finished in May 1945. She also took part in sinking some other ships. In late 1945 and 1946 she took part in Operation Deadlight, the scuttling of over 100 German U-Boats, along with the destroyer HMS Onslow.

After the war, ship returned to Poland. On 1 May 1976 ORP Błyskawica was turned to museum ship in Gdynia.

ORP Błyskawica is recommended to visit. She is really long and she measured over 110 meters and she has about 12 meters width. Vessel looks slender but I think it couldn't have been more wide because WWII was torpedos era. Any ship taking part in combat must be able to ayoid torpedos or being difficult target for them. Błyskawica was fast in her glory times and she developed speed of 39 knots (about 72 km/h or 45 mph).

Recognition of her merit was awarded the Order of Virtuti Militari, the most important Polish military distinction granted for courage in the face of the enemy. In 2007 Błyskawica was awarded the International Maritime Heritage Award of the World Ship Trust which is granted

ORP Błyskawica

Deep bomb of BG-1 type

to individuals for meritorious maritime history of the world.

Nowadays ORP Błyskawica is moored at the Skwer Kościuszki in town centre. Next to the ship recently was built a skyscaper Sea Towers - semi residential and semi service and office skyscaper completed in 2009. It is covered by dark marble elevation. Looks nice but not brilliant.

Next to Błyskawica is moored sailing frigate Dar Pomorza. The ship was built in 1909 by Blohm & Voss shipyard and at the beginning of its duty she served for Germany but after tha foolowing of WWI the ship was taken as war - reparation by Great Britain. Short after it was sold to France and from France it was sold to Poland.

This is three-masted ship, frigate purchased in 1929 by the society of Pomeriania for the Pomerania Maritime Academy in Gdynia. Dar Pomorza (English: Gift of Pomerania) served in Polish Navy up to 1982, when the flag was moved to Dar Młodzieży (English: The Gift of Youth). During the service Gift of Pomerania had been undertaken 102 school cruises, crossed the five hundred thousand miles of sea, which means that she covered a distance equal to 25 cruises around

ORP Błyskawica

Contact mine

the world. Dar Pomorza was the first ship in the history of the Polish flag commercial circumnavigate the world. On her board had been trained 13 383 students during service in navy. Gift of Pomerania had six Commanders: the first - Capt Konstanty Maciejewicz-Matyjewicz, as the last - Capt. Tadeusz Olechnowicz. When the frigate is moored the sails are rolled up and I slightly regretted I couldn't see them, because the size fo vessel is impressive - 42 meters tall and 81 meters long, counting with the bowsprit 93 meters.

I had look both ships hanging around and watching the stuff in local shops and I noticed the time was come to go further. I went back to station and got into SKM train towards Sopot and Gdańsk. SKM - Szybka Kolej Miejska (might be translated as Fast City Train, something like that), ticket are very cheap, just a couple of local quid (złoty).

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