Summary: Polish soldiers train as paratroops in Britain.
Description: An opening sequence appears to recreate the escape of Polish troops to join the Western Allies through Rumania after the fall of Warsaw; a Polish sentry on the English coast watches seagulls (presumably at this point commentary would have picked up the flight theme to link introduction to title and remainder of film). Men are given detailed medical checks at a Polish (Red Cross) infirmary; having passed, they enter a course of rigorous physical (PT, assault course), parachute (descent-simulating crane etc) and fieldcraft ('survival', river crossing, skiing) training. Finally they participate in an airborne exercise: they help pack their parachutes, check each other's equipment, board Whitleys, jump, unload weapon canisters, and run an assault course under 'fire'. At the passing out parade, general Sikorski awards the men their wings. Closing montage of paratroops over map of Poland.
Alternative Title:
Colour:B&W
Digitised:No
Object_Number:COI 281
Sound:Silent
Access Conditions:
Featured Period:1939-1945
Production Date:1941
Production Country: GB
Production Details: Polish Army Film Unit (Production company)
Graeme, Bruce (Production individual)
McKechnie, James (Production cast)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Sikorski, Władysław (person)
Polish Armed Forces in the West, 1st Independent Parachute Brigade (regiment/service)
Keywords: aircraft, British - combat: Armstrong Whitworth Whitley & [Polish] (object name)
medical, Polish military - preventative: check-up (object name)
operations, Polish military - routine (object name)
training, Polish military - specialist: paratroops (object name)
GB, England (geography)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Silent
Soundtrack language: None
Title language: English
Subtitle language: None
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 988 ft; Running time: 10 mins
