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    130th anniversary of the Polish general Sosabowski’s birth – the commander of the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade

    Stanisław Franciszek Sosabowski CBE was an independence activist and the Polish general in World War II. He fought in the Polish Campaign of 1939 and at the Battle of Arnhem (Netherlands) in 1944 as commander of the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade, the first unit of this type in the history of the Polish army.

    He created, trained, and prepared the legendary 1st Independent Parachute Brigade to fight for the liberation of Poland. The unit became famous for its heroic combat during the MarketGarden operation near Arnhem. The son of the General, Stanisław “Stasinek” Janusz Sosabowski also fought for Poland. As a member of the Kedyw, he took part in many subversive actions and liquidated enemies and spies. He lost his eyesight during the Warsaw Uprising, Marcin Czapliński shared on Twitter.

     

    The Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade was among the Allied forces taking part in Market Garden. Due to a shortage of transport aircraft, the brigade was split into several parts before being dropped into the battle. A small part of the brigade with Sosabowski was parachuted near Driel on 19 September, but the rest of the brigade arrived only on 21 September at the distant town of Grave, falling directly on the waiting guns of the Germans camped in the area. (…) Despite the difficult situation, at a staff meeting on 24 September, Sosabowski suggested that the battle could still be won

     

    His contribution was rewarded with a British order of chivalry, The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. Also, Sosabowski, the commander of the rearguard troops was portrayed by Gene Hackman in the 1977 war film A Bridge Too Far.

    In 2018 on the centenary of Poland regaining independence,  President Andrzej Duda bestowed him the oldest and most important decoration of the Republic of Poland – The Order of the White Eagle.

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