12-2019 POLSKIE KUTRY CZ. 2 S-2, S-3, S-4

ORP S-2 (another designation: MA / SB 44 or MGB 44) was a cutter, also classified as an artillery chaser, of British production, and operated in the Polish Navy during World War II. The unit entered service under the white and red flag in July 1940 and remained in service until July 1944. Its full displacement reached about 31 tons. The length of the ship was 19.2 m, and 5 m wide, and her maximum speed was up to 40 knots during sea trials. The weapons - in 1941 - included: a single 20mm Oerlikon cannon, 6 machine guns cal. 7.7 and 12.7 mm, depth charges and sea mines. The presented vessel was built at the British Power Boat shipyard and belonged to the so-called the type of 63-foot cutters produced by this shipyard. These types of units were originally produced for Norway and Sweden, but at the outbreak of World War II, some of them were commandeered by the Royal Navy. The unit, already in Polish service, was initially part of the 3rd MGB Flotilla, where, together with ORP S-1 and ORP S-3, it formed the 3rd Division of the Flotilla. In the period 1940-1944, the unit took part in numerous operations on the English Channel, very often fighting with the German light forces. One of the most famous actions of the presented vessel was a lonely fight with 6 German torpedo boats on the night of June 21-22, 1942. It is also worth adding that for this feat, the captain of the unit - Cpt. Eugeniusz Wciślicki - received the Silver Cross of the Order of Virtuti Militari and the Distinguished Service Cross. The unit survived until the end of the war, and there are many indications that ORP S-2 was dismantled in 1947.ORP S-3 (other designation: MA / SB 45 or MGB 45, unofficial name: "Wyżeł") was a cutter, also classified as an artillery chaser, of British production, and operated in the Polish Navy during World War II. The unit entered service in our MW in July 1940, and remained in it until May 1943. Its full displacement reached about 31 tons. The length of the ship was 19.2 meters, with a width of 5 meters, and the maximum speed was 36-37 knots. It was armed with a single 20mm Oerlikon cannon, 4 7.7mm machine guns and depth charges. The presented vessel was built at the British Power Boat shipyard in Hythe and belonged to the so-called the type of 63-foot cutters produced by this shipyard. These types of units were originally produced for Norway and Sweden, but at the outbreak of World War II, some of them were commandeered by the Royal Navy. The unit, already under the white and red flag, was initially part of the 3rd squadron of the 3rd MGB Flotilla. The main tasks of the unit included participation in numerous offensive attacks by the Royal Navy and the Polish Navy against the occupied French coasts - this is perfectly illustrated by the trip to Cherbourg in September 1940, when ORP S-3 served as a cover for the battleship HMS Revenge. Moreover, the presented speeder covered numerous British coastal convoys in the English Channel. It is worth adding that during the service, the unit often suffered damage, as a result of which it was withdrawn from the line in the Polish Navy as early as 1943.ORP S-4 (another designation: MTB 113 or MGB 113) was a cutter, also classified as an artillery chaser, of British production, and operated in the Polish Navy (hereinafter: PMW) during World War II. The unit entered service in our MW in July 1943, and remained in it until April 1944. Its full displacement reached approx. 50 tons. The length of the ship was 21.8 meters and a width of about 6.3 meters, and the maximum speed during sea trials reached 39-40 knots. It was armed with a single 40mm cannon (pom-pom), a double 20mm Oerlikon cannon, 4 7.7mm machine guns and depth charges. The presented vessel was built at the British Power Boat shipyard in Hythe, as one of the representatives of the so-called type British Power Boat 71 ft 6 inch. The future ORP S-4 served in the Royal Navy from December 1942 and was under repair at the time of its transfer to the PMW. After the renovation was completed and the crew familiarized themselves with the new unit, ORP S-4 became part of the 9th MGB Flotilla based in Ramsgate. It is worth adding that it replaced the well-worn ORP S-3 cutter in our Navy. In the period from September to November 1943, the unit took part in numerous offensive attacks on the coastal regions of occupied France. After the ship was damaged as a result of running aground in January 1944, the unit went to overhaul. In its course, a decision was made to hand over ORP S-4 to the Dutch Navy. Interestingly, however, the Dutch did not introduce it to the line, and in September of the same year they returned it to the Royal Navy.