POLISH ARMY

Evening Star, Issue 23727, 7 November 1940, Page 2

POLISH ARMY

PARADE IN EGYPT The Polish troops in Egypt, which arc now brigaded with the Australians, made a brilliant spectacle during a ceremonial march past, at which the salute was taken by the Secretary for War, Mr Eden (writes a war correspondent of the ‘ Sydney Morning Herald ’ from Egypt). It was the finest military spectacle I have seen since leaving Australia. First came magnificently-mounted Polish cavalry, with drawn swords, then battalion after battalion of infantry, who goose-stepped past in the Continental style, mechanised cavalry, artillery, engineers, and medical services. After the review the Polish horsed cavalry gave a display which drew roars of approval from a party of Australian officers who had been invited to see the parade. The Poles, who number several thousand, are well equipped with modern weapons, including Bren guns and anti-tank rifles. ■ They are a welltrained, well-disciplined force, and looked as hard as nails as they swung past the saluting base. There is the greatest friendliness between the Australians and the Poles, who are mostly young men. Many of them came from Syria when the French commander, General Mittlehansor, acknowledged the Vichy Government. They got on famously with the Australians, and it was a happy thought of the British High Command to brigade them with the A.I.F. Language presents some difficulties, but many of the Poles speak English, and most of them speak French. Between them they manage to make themselves understood. DIPLOMATS SERVING. In tho Polish Army there arc serving as privates the Polish Minister for Justice, several deputies, and numerous members of the Diplomatic Corps. Those include a Minister Plenipotentiary, a Charge d’Affaires, and four Consuls. I made the mistake when I visited their camp to-day of referring to their force as the Polish Legion. “ No, monsieur,” said an officer, “ we are not a legion, we,are the sovereign Army of Poland, with our own flag and our own national anthem.” The ranks of this army are swelling day by day as officer after officer and man after man makes his perilous way to join his country’s colours. Some escaped from German occupied Poland, some, after almost incredible adventures apd hardships, from internment camps in Germany. All have lost everything they possessed. Most have no news of their families, and all are animated by an almost fanatical bitterness against tbe Germans. “We have, each one, our little tragedy,” said one soldier to me simply. They arc a formidable fighting unit, more than 85 per cent, of them with previous war experience. Most of the leaders were regular officers before tho war. . ,

The average Australian is rarely very demonstrative about anything, but the Poles’ enthusiasm and cheerfulness in the face of adversity has completely won the hearts of our troops, who on every possible occasion go out of their way' to show them friendliness, though they find the Poles’ habit of (kissing them on both cheeks somewhat embarrassing. The Poles, for their part, have accepted the Australians as their own special “ camaradcs do guerre.” ft is a friendship based on mutual respect. BRITISH SCALE OF PAY. Hero is one extraordinary instance of the Poles’ enthusiasm. Private soldiers arc now receiving the British scale of pay which they regard as munificent. As a token of gratitude, the privates in different units have spontaneously subscribed from their pay to purchase additional equipment. Some units in this way have bought trucks and lorries, others have bought motor cycles. The Polish Army in the Middle East is publishing its own newspaper, ‘ Towards Free Poland,’ which is run by well-known Polish journalists, who escaped from Warsaw and joined the armv. Many refugees who are coming from European ports to join the colours arc being escorted by _ Polish naval units, which are operating in these waters, and travel on Polish steamers. The Australian general commanding the Australians and Polish troops in Egypt has just completed a two-day tour of inspection of tho British main line of defence.