POLES SURRENDER AT HELA

October 1, 1939

Polish troops surrendered today at Hela. The peninsula is a 35 kilometer-long sand bar in Northern Poland separating the Bay of Puck from the open Baltic Sea. After World War I it became part of the Second Polish Republic and has since been a fortified military region manned by 3,000 troops of the Grupa Obrony Wybrzeza (Coastal Defence Group). Since the 1st of September, the area has come under constant air attacks by the Luftwaffe. In the first week of fighting the Polish Armia Pomorze was forced back by advancing German troops. Following the defeat of the Poles at the Battle of Tuchola Forest other Polish strongholds began to topple one after the other: Battle of Westerplatte, Battle of Gdynia, Battle of Kepa Oksywska. Since September 20, Hela was the remaining pocket of Polish resistance in the area.

In his first broadcast of the war, British Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill stated that the Soviet Union has "pursued a policy of cold self-interest" in relation to Poland. He added that "we could have wished that the Russian armies should be standing on their present line as friends and allies of Poland instead of invaders. But that the Russian armies should stand on this line was clearly necessary for the safety of Russia against the Nazi menace."

Polish Navy in Active Service. The ORP Krakowiak and Kujawiak on Convoy Protection

Polish Destroyer  ORP Orkan

Polish Submarine ORP Orzel

The Polish Navy has about 30 warships in service:   8 Submarines, 7 Destroyers, 6 Minesweepers,  3 Escort Destroyers,  2 Gunboats,  2 Light Cruisers, 1 Minelayer, and 1 Torpedo Boat.   There are only 2 large vessels and 5 submarines in the Baltic guarding the Polish coast.  The rest are on active service under the command of the British Admiralty.

The British Admiralty has received news of Germany's cruisers the Admiral Graf Spee and Deutschland.  The Graf Spee has been referred to as a "pocket battleship".  In the years leading up the war, Germany had constructed several battleships of smaller scale in accordance with restrictions placed on it by the Treaty of Versailles,  Though said to be the most heavily armoured cruiser at sea,  their guns are significantly inferior. Despite apparent limitations the Graf Spee has sunk a total of 9 Allied merchant ships with a total tonnage of 50,089.  British, New Zealand and Australian cruisers have been assigned to track her down.

In Tokyo. Reports have been received that several senior officers of the Kwantung army stationed in the state of Manchuria have been dismissed. This comes after the signed agreement between Japan and Russia to settle the border war.

In China. The Chinese Nationalists led by Chiang Kai-Shek have won a major victory in the Battle of Changsa. The Japanese 11th Corps is withdrawing its troops from Northern Hunan province after a failed attempt to capture Changsa and the Tungting lake area.




Link:
Polish Greatness.com