Militaire voertuigen (tot 1945) - Polen: boeken - historie

Armoured Hussars (Volume 1) - Images of the Polish 1st Armoured Division 1939-47

This wonderful album is a brilliant pictorial history of the 1st Polish Armoured Division composed of about 250 photographs, documents and publications largely collected by WO1 Alexander Leon 'Manka' Jarzembowski, a veteran of 2nd Armoured Regiment, as he soldiered for Poland between 1917-1949.
The collection lay in albums unseen for decades until recent interest in the Division and its Commanding Officer, General Stanislaw Maczek, caused Jarzembowski's son, Jan, to revisit his father's archive in order to provide a narrative for the almost forgotten Division and for his father's memory.

The photographs themselves cover the period from 1939 and the invasion of Poland before moving onto the French Campaign of 1940; the bulk of the images illustrate the story of the Division from arriving in the UK in 1940, reforming in 1942 and then its campaigns in North-West Europe 1944-45 - its pursuit of the Germans across northern France, Belgium and Holland, and finally into Germany.
Included are some of the final Divisional parades prior to disbandment in 1947. There are also many interesting photographs of dignitaries who visited and inspected the Division thorough out those years, including General Sikorski.

The range of images available in this album is wide and impressive with many excellent shots of uniforms, equipment and armour, which not only provide an aid to historians and veteran's families, but, expertly annotated by the author, are of great value to military modellers as reference material.

This album is a tribute to the gallant men of the Polish 1st Armoured Division. General Maczek and his men fought the Second World War from the very beginning to the very end with extreme bravery, but gained nothing for their efforts, yet maintained their dignity and pride to the end of their, often very long, lives.

Specificaties

Auteur:	Janusz Jarzembowski
Uitvoering:	148 blz, 29.5 x 21 x 1 cm, paperback
Illustraties:	250 z/w foto's
Taal:	Engels
Uitgever:	Helion & Company (GB, 2014)
ISBN:	9781909384439

Armoured Hussars (Volume 2) - Images of the 1st Polish Armoured Division, Normandy, August 1944

Provides a highly-illustrated account of the 1st Polish Armoured Division's baptism of fire in Normandy in August 1944, from Operations Totalise and Tractable to the victory at Falaise, culminating at the climactic battle on Mont Ormel - the site of this triumph was justly named 'A Polish Battlefield' by the Canadians.

This album contains contributions written by the distinguished military author and Normandy veteran Ken Tout, who was recently awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of Merit by the Republic of Poland for popularising the Polish soldiers of the Second World War. Serving as a young Sherman tank crewman in the Northamptonshire Yeomanry, Ken watched the Poles go in to action on 8 August and witnessed their savage baptism of fire.

The album features many dramatic photographs and documents, numbering over 250, from the renowned Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum (PISM) as well as from the author's collection. It is also supplemented by eight pages of colour plates featuring divisional armour, uniforms, maps and a centre page-spread of a close-quarter action on Mont Ormel, based on the memoirs of a regimental commander. Illustrated by the renowned military artist, Peter Dennis, this depiction also features on the front cover.

This book will appeal to all who have an interest in the Second World War and the Normandy Campaign, and is a fitting tribute to those Polish soldiers who fought so gallantly for Europe's freedom as part of the Allied Liberation Army and played a decisive role in the defeat of German forces in France at the Battle of the Falaise Pocket in August 1944.

Specificaties

Auteur:	Janusz Jarzembowski, David T. Bradley
Uitvoering:	184 blz, 29.5 x 21 cm, paperback
Illustraties:	250 z/w- en kleurenfoto's
Taal:	Engels
Uitgever:	Helion & Company (GB, 2015)
ISBN:	9781910777237

First Polish Armoured Division 1938-47

The First Polish Armoured Division was formed in Scotland in February 1942 from Polish exiles who had escaped first Poland and then France. Its commander, Stanislaw Maczek, and many of its men had previously served in Polish 10th Motorized Cavalry Brigade (10 BKS), which had taken part in the Polish invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1938 and given a good account of itself in the defence of Poland against German and Soviet invasion of 1939.
Under Maczek's leadership the division was trained and equipped along British lines in preparation for the invasion of France.

Attached to 1st Canadian Army, the division was sent to Normandy in late July 1944. It suffered heavily during Operation Totalize but went on to play a crucial role in preventing an orderly German withdrawal from the Falaise Pocket by its stand at Hill 262. They then played their part in the advance across Western Europe and into Germany.
This detailed history, supported by dozens of archive photos, concludes by looking at the often-poor treatment of Maczek and his men after the war.

Specificaties

Auteur:	Evan McGilvray, Janusz Jarzembowski
Uitvoering:	296 blz, 24.5 x 17 x 3 cm, harde kaft
Illustraties:	200 z/w foto's
Taal:	Engels
Uitgever:	Pen & Sword Books Ltd (GB, 2022)
ISBN:	9781526724151

Panzer II vs 7TP : Poland 1939 (Osprey)

Hitler's lightning invasion of Poland in 1939 marked the beginning of World War II in Europe. This was the period when armoured warfare inscribed itself into global consciousness as the Poles desperately sought to stave off the Blitzkrieg.
At the heart of the fighting on the ground, large numbers of Nazi Germany's PzKpfw II battled against Poland's better-armed but much less numerous 7TP tank. The two types both possessed unique strengths and weaknesses - unlike the 7TP the PzKpfw II was always equipped with radio, which proved critical for command and control purposes in the heat of combat. But the German tank was blighted by thin armour, which could not withstand Polish gunfire at combat ranges.
This fully illustrated, detailed work evaluates the qualities and idiosyncrasies of each tank, giving a stark and arresting crewman's-eye-view of the brutal armoured combat at the height of the invasion of Poland.

Contents: Introduction - Chronology - Design and Development - Technical Specifications - The Combatants - The Strategic Situation - Combat - Statistics and Analysis - Aftermath - Bibliography - Index.

Specificaties

Auteur:	David R. Higgins
Uitvoering:	80 blz, 25 x 18.5 x 0.9 cm, paperback
Illustraties:	Rijk geïllustreerd met foto's en tekeningen (z/w en kleur)
Taal:	Engels
Uitgever:	Osprey Publishing (GB, 2015)
Serie:	Duel (66)
ISBN:	9781472808813

Polish Armor of the Blitzkrieg (Osprey)

The Polish army during the Blitzkrieg conjures up tragic images of infantry and dashing, but ineffective and ultimately doomed cavalry charges. In actuality the Poles, in the midst of a large-scale re-armament programme, had up to 600 armoured vehicles available at the time of the German attack, as well as a number of newer and better designs in various stages of development.

Facing the inventors of the 'Lightning War', who attacked in great numbers, on multiple fronts and with total mastery of the air, the Polish armoured formations were up against it.
But outdated equipment, doctrine and enormous odds did not stop these units from fighting with bravery and determination before being finally overwhelmed.

This volume is a complete technical study of the machines that formed the backbone of Poland's defences on the ground, using never-before-seen photographs and a comprehensive design and developmental history that reveal a full picture of Poland's armoured forces in the context of their greatest challenge.

Specificaties

Auteur:	Jamie Prenatt
Uitvoering:	48 blz, 25 x 18.5 x 0.6 cm, paperback
Illustraties:	z/w- en kleurenfoto's
Taal:	Engels
Uitgever:	Osprey Publishing (GB, 2015)
Serie:	New Vanguard (224)
ISBN:	9781472808240

The First Enigma Codebreaker - Marian Rejewski who passed the baton to Alan Turing

Deze biografie beschrijft het leven en de prestaties van Marian Rejewski, een Poolse wiskundige en cryptoloog die met baanbrekend werk de Duitse Enigma-code kraakte vóór de Tweede Wereldoorlog.
Samen met Jerzy Różycki en Henryk Zygalski ontwikkelde Rejewski vernieuwende methoden om de Enigma-machine, een cruciaal instrument van de Duitse militaire communicatie, te ontcijferen. Hun werk in de vroege jaren 1930 vormde de basis voor latere Britse inspanningen in Bletchley Park en droeg aanzienlijk bij aan de overwinning van de geallieerden.
Ondanks het belang van zijn bijdragen bleef Rejewski's rol decennialang grotendeels onbekend door oorlogsgeheimen en politieke omstandigheden in het naoorlogse Polen.

Het boek onderzoekt Rejewski's leven, van zijn opleiding en baanbrekende ontdekkingen tot zijn persoonlijke uitdagingen tijdens en na de oorlog. Het biedt een indrukwekkend portret van een van de vergeten helden uit de geschiedenis.

Specificaties

Auteur:	Robert Gawłowski
Uitvoering:	186 blz, 22.5 x 16.5 x 3.3 cm, harde kaft
Illustraties:	16 z/w foto's
Taal:	Engels
Uitgever:	Pen & Sword Books Ltd (GB, 2023)
ISBN:	9781399069106

Czołgi i samobieżne działa pancerne Wojska Polskiego 1919-2016

Tanks in the Polish Army have a history spanning almost a century, beginning with their arrival in 1919 during the Polish-Soviet War. Their significance grew with advancements in motorization, resulting in more powerful engines, thicker armor, and larger caliber guns. Self-propelled artillery vehicles, similar in design and purpose, emerged later and saw regular use during World War II.
For decades, tanks have been a universal symbol of military strength, determining a nation's military power. They have remained the most captivating military vehicles.

This book presents the nearly century-long history of tanks and self-propelled artillery vehicles in the Polish Army, divided into four periods: the Second Polish Republic, World War II, the post-war era known as the People's Republic of Poland (PRL), and the last 28 years since Poland regained independence. These periods witnessed significant developments in tank design and utilization within the Polish Army.
This comprehensive work provides a holistic overview of tank and self-propelled artillery vehicle history in the Polish Army from their introduction in 1919 to the present day.

Text in Polish.

Specificaties

Auteur:	Tomasz Szczerbicki
Uitvoering:	520 blz, 29 x 22 x 4.2 cm, harde kaft
Illustraties:	rijk geïllustreerd
Taal:	Pools
Uitgever:	Wydawnictwo Vesper (PL, 2017)
ISBN:	9788377312490

Motocykle Wojska Polskiego 1918-1950

NIEUW

Dit boek vertelt de geschiedenis van 75 motormerken die door het Poolse leger werden gebruikt tussen 1918 en 1950, zowel standaard als tijdelijk verkregen - via schenkingen in vredestijd of als oorlogsbuit. De uitgave is gebaseerd op 170 archieffoto's.

Voor het eerst wordt een overzicht gegeven van motorfietsen die tijdens de Eerste Wereldoorlog werden buitgemaakt en gebruikt in de Pools-Sovjetoorlog. Ook de ontwikkeling van de militaire motorisatie tussen 1918 en 1939 wordt beschreven, evenals het gebruik van motorfietsen door het Thuisleger en verzetsgroepen tijdens de bezetting - een onderwerp dat nauwelijks eerder is behandeld. Het Thuisleger gebruikte talrijke motoren, vaak kort voor acties buitgemaakt en direct daarna achtergelaten.

Tussen 1939 en 1947 gebruikten de Poolse strijdkrachten in het Westen Franse, Britse, Amerikaanse en buitgemaakte motoren. In het Volksleger (1943-1950) overheersten Amerikaanse Harley-Davidson WLA's - een feit dat jarenlang werd verzwegen en als ongemakkelijk gold.

Specificaties

Auteur:	Tomasz Szczerbicki
Uitvoering:	168 blz, 21 x 15 x 1.5 cm, paperback
Illustraties:	170 foto's
Taal:	Pools
Uitgever:	Alma-Press (PL, 2025)
ISBN:	9788370209797

Pojazdy Powstanców Warszawskich 1944

A lavishly illustrated book presenting the motorised part of the Warsaw Insurgents' combat effort, concerning the battles seen through the prism of armoured vehicles (tanks, armoured guns, armoured cars, armoured personnel carriers), special vehicles (fire-fighting, sanitary and others) and transport vehicles used by the Home Army.
Guided by the fate of the historical vehicles, the story is enriched with a sketchy picture of the combat operations and the transmission of the motorised preparations for the insurgent battles.

The vehicles are presented at the place where they were captured from the enemy (such as the "Panther" tanks captured in Wola), built during combat or stored in Home Army units before the Warsaw Uprising and at the place of their combat use.
Many of the photographs included in the book have not been published before. It is an extension of the previously published publication "Home Army Vehicles in the Warsaw Uprising" containing new facts that have been established over the last 15 years.

Text in Polish.

Specificaties

Auteur:	Jan Tarczyński
Uitvoering:	168 blz, 24 x 17 x 1.5 cm, harde kaft
Illustraties:	110 z/w- en kleurenfoto's
Taal:	Pools
Uitgever:	Wydawnictwa Komunikacji i Łączności WKŁ (PL, 2017)
ISBN:	9788320617405

Samochody osobowe i osobowo-terenowe Wojska Polskiego 1918 -1950

NIEUW

Het boek "Personen- en terreinwagens van het Poolse leger 1918-1950- beschrijft de geschiedenis van de militaire motorisering in Polen, gebaseerd op bijna 200 archieffoto's. Het behandelt vier hoofdperioden:

- Leger van de Tweede Republiek (1918-1939) - voor het eerst een overzicht van automerken gebruikt tijdens de Pools-Bolsjewistische oorlog en het interbellum.
- Thuisleger (1939-1945) - een weinig bekend onderwerp. Honderden, vaak buitgemaakte voertuigen werden gebruikt in gevechtsacties.
- Poolse Strijdkrachten in het Westen (1939-1947) - Franse, Britse, Amerikaanse, Canadese en buitgemaakte voertuigen op vele fronten.
- Volksleger van Polen (1943-1950) - tot voor kort genegeerd onderwerp. In de eerste naoorlogse jaren was 80 % van de wagens Amerikaans.

In totaal gebruikten Poolse soldaten meer dan 150 merken personen- en terreinwagens. Dit is het eerste complete overzicht van dit onderwerp.

Specificaties

Auteur:	Tomasz Szczerbicki
Uitvoering:	182 blz, 21 x 1 x 15 cm, paperback
Illustraties:	200 foto's
Taal:	Pools
Uitgever:	Alma-Press (PL, 2025)
ISBN:	9788370209858