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Poland - WWII submarine flags

Last modified: 2002-04-12 by jarig bakker
Keywords: poland | wwii | submarine | jolly roger | sokol | dzik |
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ORP "Sokol" flag

[ORP Sokol flag] by Grzegorz Skrukwa, 9 Apr 2002

Crews of two WW2 Polish submarines took over  a practice of hoisting "Jolly Rogers" from their British comrades in arms. These two submarines were British-built Ursula-class ships, leased by Polish Navy. Operating very succesful from Malta, were know as "Terrible Twins". After war, got back to Royal Navy.

ORP "Sokol" - launched 30 September 1940 as HMS "Urchin", leased by Polish Navy 19 January 1941, completed 28 January 1941, got back 27 July 1946.

(ORP means "Okret Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej", i.e. "Republic of Poland's Ship")

white stripes - sunk enemy merchant ships
red stripes - sunk enemy warships
red stars - gunfire combats
crossed sabres - boardings
dog - operation "Husky" (invasion on Sicily 1943)
greting - forced net barrier

Images I took from book "Wojsko Polskie 1939-1945" by Stanislaw Komornicki, Zygmunt Bielecki, Wanda Bigoszewska, Adam Jonca; Warszawa 1984, ISBN 83-223-2055-8
I think these are Jolly Rogers dated after war. I have seen in another book a photo of ORP "Dzik" where her Jolly Roger looks different - the skull has no teeth.
Grzegorz Skrukwa, 9 Apr 2002

ORP "Dzik" flag

[ORP Dzik flag]<