10-2019 POLSKIE KUTRY CZ. 1 S-1, S-5

ORP S-1 (other designation: MA / SB 48 or MGB 48, unofficial name: "Chart") was a cutter, also classified as an artillery chaser, of British production, and operated in the Polish Navy (hereinafter: PMW) during the Second World War world. The unit entered service in our MW in October 1940, and remained in it until February 1944. Its full displacement reached approx. 39 tons. The length of the ship was approx. 22.9 m and a width of approx. 5 meters, and the maximum speed during sea trials reached 42 knots. It was armed with a single 20mm Oerlikon cannon, six 12.7 and 7.7mm machine guns, and depth charges. The presented vessel was ordered by the Polish side at the British J. Samuel White shipyard in January 1939. However, at the start of World War II, the unit was only at the beginning of its construction, and work on it was resumed only in December 1939. It is also worth adding that according to In the original plans, the unit was to have different weapons than the one that was finally received. The beginning of ORP S-1 service was disastrous, because on the first day of sea trials a fire broke out on it, as a result of which the cutter's commander - Lieutenant Sokołowski was killed. The unit was seriously damaged and was sent for overhaul, and it did not enter service until January 1941. ORP S-1 in the period 1941-1944 took part in numerous actions against the German light forces operating in the English Channel, as well as shielded British coastal convoys. He was also directed to offensive raids to the coastal regions of occupied France. The unit was withdrawn from the line in February 1944.ORP S-5 (another designation: MTB 424) was a torpedo boat, also classified as a torpedo-artillery chaser, of British production, and operated in the Polish Navy (hereinafter: PMW) during World War II. The unit entered service under the white red flag in May 1944 and remained in service until October 1945. Its full displacement reached about 47 tons. The length of the ship was about 22.3 meters and the width of about 5.5 meters, and the maximum speed during sea trials reached 40 knots. It was armed with a single 6-pounder QF Mk. The 57mm IIA, twin 20mm Oerlikon cannon, two twin 7.7mm machine guns and two 457mm torpedo tubes. The presented vessel was built at the J. Samuel White shipyard in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, and its construction was based on the so-called modernized project of the vessel Vosper 1943. It should be added that this project assumed the construction of a small vessel, but with very strong armament, which unfortunately had a negative impact on the strength of the entire structure and resulted in deformation of the ship's hull. This design defect also concerned the ORP S-5. For this reason, at the turn of 1944/1945, the torpedo tubes were removed from the ship. The unit entered service when naval combat in the Channel area ceased with the successful Allied landing in Normandy. Nevertheless, from the end of 1944 to April 1945, it operated in the eastern part of this canal, and at the end of World War II, it took part in the capture of surrendering German U-boats. The unit was formally handed over to the British side in October 1945.