ORP Kujawiak History

ORP kujawiak (L 72) 1941
destroyer escort type “HUNT II”

Service:
30/05/1941 Transfer to PMW (Polish Navy)
06/18/1941 On the way to Scapa Flow fired on by an unknown aircraft, an explosion in the forward ammunition magazine, the death of one sailor.
07/09/1941 escorted aircraft carrier Victorious
11-12.07.1941 escorted battleship Greenock
07/27/1941 Command convoy escort WP.10 from Falmouth to Milford Haven
12 / 08.13.1941 She fought a battle in defense of the convoy WP.34 German aircraft attacked a convoy for 2.5 hours.
22/10/1941 convoy escort SL.98
10/26/1941 escorted cruiser Trinidad
10/30/1941 Together with  Atherstone hunted U-boats in the area of Plymouth and Falmouth. The search did not produce results.
01/03/1942 escorted convoys in the English Channel
01/28/2942 During a convoy escort in the area of Cape Lizard an observer of ORP kujawiak noticed how a German plane dropped two mines. Takes convoy30/01/1942 safely zawionął to Yarmouth.
03/03/1942 During a convoy of Cowes to Falmouth ORP Kujawiak fired on British Sunderland aircraft who did not give distinctive signals. The aircraft wasdamaged but the crew was unharmed.
14/03/1942 The convoy escorted PW.125 from Milford Haven fought a battle with German planes.
One bomber was lost and another damaged.
03/19/1942 Eskortak convoy PW 128
23/03/1942 Visitation of Kujawiak by King Peter II of Yugoslavia in Plymouth.
3-5.1942 At shipyard in Plymouth for repairs lasting one and a half month.
05.03.1942 The commander of the ship was promoted to Lieutenant Commander.
04.06.1942 Visit to the ship by the commander in chief Sikorski. Order of Virtuti militarily was awarded to four crew members including the captain.

Ship participation in the operation “HARPOON”
04/06/1942 O.R.P. KUJAWIAK part of the FORCE “T”, which is further divided into the escort groups:
-force “W”
-force “X”,
-force “Y”.
Operation HARPOON was to provide inventory to besieged Malta which was the last Allied base in this part of the world. The Axis had tried unsuccessfully for many months to take the island. FORCE X escorted convoy WS.19 which went from Greenock to Malta. The convoy consisted W.S.19 ships:
-TROILUS,
-BURDWAN,
-TANIMBAR,
-ORAR,
-CHANT
Oil tanker
-and KENTUCKY.

The composition of FORCE “X” included the following ships:
– H.M.S. CAIRO
– H.M.S. Bedouin
– H.M.S. Ithuriel
– H.M.S.MATHHLESS
– H.M.S.MARNE
– H.M.S.PARTRIDGE
– H.M.S. MIDDLETON
– H.M.S.BLANKEY
– H.M.S.BADSWORTH
-ORP. KUJAWIAK
– H.M.S.HEBE
– H.M.S.SPEEDY
– H.M.S.HYTHE
14.06. about 10.25 there was the first air attack on the convoy carried out by six Junkers Ju-88.
11:35 convoy lost one ship – TANIMBAR and one trawler had been damaged cruiser- HMSLIVERPOOL (with escort FORCE “W”).
During this attack the convoy managed to shoot down six aircraft. Another two were shot down probably by the KUJAWIAK together with HMS BLANKEY.
18:25 Eight aircraft staged a raid without any losses.
20:10 Attackof 50 aircraft. Dive and torpedo attacks from the high ceiling. The  Kujawiak shot several of the planes. Kujawiak was damaged. H.M.S. Welshmanseparated from the convoy increased speed and went to Malta.
21.30 escorts Force “W” returned to Gibraltar.
21:50 Diving attack of six Junkers. The signal had been given with the appearance of the Italian fleet to destroy the convoy.
15/06/1942
6:15 noted fourteen silhouettes of Italian ships tracking the convoy
6:30 exchange of fire, the attack on the convoy support aircraft iinvolving two Italian cruisers. WS19 lost two ships, tanker A crash and explosion result in the loss of the first.  The second ship is damaged and sunk by the crew.
7:30 H.M.S Bedouin and H.M.S. Partridge are damaged
9:00 Providing escort, part of the escort withdrew to Gibraltar. Kujawiak was escorting the convoy and heading towards Malta
11.30 assault by twenty-seven JU 88
14:15 H.M.S. Bedouin which was at the rear of the convoy is sunk, the crew raises the Italians.
14:30 another raid, without loss to the convoy
18:30 Six JU 88 attack aerial escort by two planes.
20:30 Six JU 88 attack
20:30 12 JU 88 attack, escort airline loses two aircraft in one of the planes was shot down with a Polish pilot
22:00 Convoy begins to enter the channel to La Valletta
22:50 Battle alarm sounded
06/16/1942
0:41 H.M.S. Badsworth enters the minefield, Kujawiak sends a signal asking if they need help. Badsworth sends the answer “yes. Got 120 survivors” Kujawiakdoes return and goes to help.
0:53 Kujawiaku suffers explosion of mines on the port side aft under the right compartment. They send a signal on the radio about the incident. Damagedtwo watertight bulkheads, combustible tanks, starboard side torn. The fire damaged areas are extinguished.
1:08 tilt 35 degrees to port. The captain ordered the crew to leave.
1:20 O.R.P. wreck Kujawiak at position 35 52.2 N 14 38.5 E
died:
Bosma Hołowacz. Cossacks. Kubik. Szwarc. Dabrowski. Zajączkowski.
Matt Sadowski.
Senior Sailor Biernacki. Zych. Jankowski. Jasionowski.
Sailor profit. Olsztyn
Balance:
ORP kujawiak lived 381 days of which 223 spent on the high seas. Sailed 32,000 miles of sea, it is 60 thousand. kilometers .Miał 15 killed and 12 woundedsailors. Sank two transports shot down five planes, probably 3. Conducted 72 convoys and had at their 13 shares and 112 combat anti alarms. He participated in 5 combat operations on a larger scale. Shot the 16 min. Twice he fought with submarines and two times he fought with the enemy coastal batteries.Summary of service by Julian Ginsbert

The facts that are contained in this article come from a variety of historical sources and studies books. All the time we are in the collection of materials and playing the true story of the ship

Specifications:
Length 85.34 m
Width of 9.62 m
Draught maximum 3,89m.
Draft standard 2,36m.
Displacement 1,050 t.
Maximum Displacement 1490T
Total output 18766 KM
Max Speed 27.
Range 2000MM at 20w. 3600mm 14w.
The crew of 168

armament:
6 guns (3×2) 4 HA / LA Mk XVI on the basis of Mk XIX 45
1 pom-pom 40 mm Mk VIII czterolufowy based on Mk II
4 20 M.M. OERLIKON
2 cabins machine “Lewis”
2 depth charge launcher “Thornycroft”
1 ramp to depth charges 110b.gł.

machines:
2 teams turbine Parson akcyjno-rekcyjne single power reduction of total 19.00Km
At 380 rev. / Min
2kotły type trzywalczakowe Yarrow Admiralty
Anti-roll-type “Denny Finn”

Quotes:
Chief Executive Officer W. Sikorski
“I remember and I will always remember, that was the hardest moment for Polish, when you were only armed wing of the Serene Republic and the on boardyour ships took refuge Its sovereignty … The actions of the Polish Navy will always remember Poland, save them gold Phonics history” …
J.Ginsbert
“The honor was to train these ships (kujawiak, Krakowak), if only because of the great zeal and enthusiasm of staff, and to witness the results achieved. Shipsexceptionally clean, and the benefits of marine crews admirable. Making of exercises above average. ”
Sir Charles Forbes
“Appearance of the ship and fitness Zalogo conspicuous. Congratulates the Lord. ”
Small Pantheon of the Navy at the Church of the Archangel Michael in Oksywie
“There’s victory, where virtue
There resurrection, where Golgotha ”
Literature:
Marek Wawrzyniak “ORP Krakowiak ORP ORP KUJAWIAK Ślązak board type” HUNT II “In POLISH Navy
Stanislaw M.Piaskowski “SHIPS OF THE REPUBLIC OF POLISH 1920-1946”
Julian Ginsbert Polish “IN WHICH SERVE EC” Life ORP “KUJAWIAK”