After the outbreak of World War II, the Polish authorities, both civilian and military, continued their activities in exile. Initially based in France and later in England after the fall of France, the idea that guided Polish commanders during the existence of the Second Polish Republic was implemented along the Thames. In the early 1930s, high-ranking officers of the Polish Army aimed to organize well-trained airborne units capable of being airdropped into enemy-occupied territory to carry out sabotage and diversionary operations during armed conflicts. Although some steps were taken in this direction in 1936, the concept was fully developed after the outbreak of World War II.
In 1939, the then Chief Commander of the Union of Armed Struggle (Związek Walki Zbrojnej), General Kazimierz Sosnkowski, gathered a group of supporters of airborne forces. They convinced him that such units could improve communication between France and occupied Poland. Thus, the Special National Unit VI of the Supreme Commander’s Headquarters of the Polish Army was established, tasked with recruiting and training soldiers for underground activities in Poland. This was crucial as there was a thriving underground army in Poland, initially known as the Service for Poland’s Victory, later transformed into the Union of Armed Struggle in 1939, and finally into the Home Army in 1942.
In the early stages of these organizations, there was a shortage of qualified officers capable of leading active combat or specializing in communication, intelligence, and armored warfare. To address this need, Unit VI initiated the recruitment of volunteers to support compatriots fighting against the Germans and Soviets. These volunteers, referred to as „paratroopers” or „dropouts,” had to meet specific criteria. They needed to demonstrate mental and physical fitness, independence, discipline, and the ability to keep secrets.
Once selected by Unit VI, the volunteers who met the criteria underwent special training, which was completed by just over 600 individuals. Initially, the future paratroopers underwent parachute training with appropriate combat preparation. Additionally, they took courses in psychotechnical examinations, underground warfare, and briefing. The latter was mandatory for those heading to occupied Poland or other countries with German forces. During the briefing course, the prospective clandestine operative had to take a special oath to safeguard equipment, mail, and funds not only as state property but also as money allocated to regain the freedom of the homeland. They also pledged to keep the secrecy of their special service until the end of the war.
Crucially, the prospective parachutists also completed specialized courses, acquiring knowledge and skills in narrow fields such as sabotage, intelligence, communication, and various types of weapons. Intelligence training, for example, was completed by future General Stefan Bałuk, codenamed „Kubuś,” who, in April 1944, was airdropped into Poland and assigned to the Legalization and Technology Department of the II Division of the Home Army Headquarters, which dealt with intelligence and, above all, the production of false documents.
Initially, parachute training for these agents took place in various locations in Great Britain, including the Audley End complex near London, where Station SOE No. 43 was opened in 1942. Importantly, accelerated courses for parachutists were also organized in 1944 in Palestine, Italy, and the Balkans.
The first parachutists landed in Poland on the night of February 15-16, 1941. Despite navigational errors, they managed to land near the Skoczów railway station, 138 kilometers from the planned drop zone. Over the following years, more than 300 parachutists were dropped into Poland, actively participating in the fight for a free and independent Poland. These individuals were involved in various cells of the Union of Armed Struggle and the Home Army, engaging in activities such as acquiring prototypes of famous German Panther tanks, training Polish soldiers, and conducting sabotage operations across Poland.
Among the most well-known members of this elite group of parachutists were Adam Boryczka, Adam Borys, Hieronim Dekutowski, Marian Gołębiewski, Kazimierz Iranek-Osmecki, Bolesław Kontrym, Tomasz Kostuch, Narcyz Łopianowski, Jan Nowak-Jeziorański, Jan Piwnik, and Leonard Zub-Zdanowicz. They actively participated in the conspiracy, and notably, 112 of them lost their lives, including 9 during the flight or parachute jump. Over 90 participated in the Warsaw Uprising, and 10 were killed by communists after the war.
The last airdrop of parachutists into the country took place just after Christmas, on December 28, 1944, near Nowy Targ. However, the last parachute jump occurred on April 9, 1945, in northern Italy.
Krzysztof Tochman, a renowned expert on parachutists, succinctly stated in one of his texts, „The parachutists fulfilled their military duty well,” ensuring that their memory will endure. This is evident in the fact that in the 1990s, the GROM Military Unit was named after the Cichociemni Paratroopers of the Home Army, and a banner was presented to them a year later.
