The Saracen's Head

"Goose Farm" is Liberated

In 1943, the Nazis had removed the inmates of the Warsaw concentration camps to an extermination site. Nearly 400 of the prisoners, mostly Jews of various nationalities, had been kept behind to destroy evidence of Nazi atrocities and would suffer the same fate as their comrades when their task was done.

The camp, known as "Goose Farm", was not on the Home Army's list of goals to capture, on account of its heavy fortifications. However, Zoska Battalion was composed of members of the Polish scouting program, and like true boy scouts the soldiers wanted to help their fellow man in his dire need. Having obtained approval for the mission, a group of volunteers attacked the camp on August 5th with the aid of two captured German tanks. The German guards were killed and the prisoners liberated with few losses to "Zoska". The Jews then organized themselves into a battalion, placed it under Zoskas' command, and were killed fighting in the uprising, almost to a man.

 

Hello! Warsaw Calling!

Today "Lightning" (Blyskawica), the radio station of the Home Army, began broadcasting! 

The uprising was not an insurrection undertaken on the spur of the moment, but a carefully planned, long-prepared-for, coordinated rebellion. Plans had even been laid for a great propaganda campaign which would unfold with the uprising, a campaign to be carried out by newspapers, speeches, songs, a theater, and a radio station.

However, the large antennae which the radio station were supposed to use were not captured, so the resourceful insurgents turned to plan B, which was to use a short-wave radio. The radio was damaged as it was being shipped from Czestechowa to Warsaw and the radio crew was not able to fix it until a week of the uprising had passed. For a while the crew wrote, translated, and broadcasted their messages with no response. At last on August 15th, Our Lady's feast day, London answered.

The station broadcasted in English and Polish, telling the progress of the uprising, giving reports on the living conditions in Warsaw, asking Britain for help. It also transmitted subversive propaganda in German.  

 

 

 

 

Fourth Day

The uprising has failed in the Praga district but many important buildings are in Polish hands. Infamous SS and Russian gangs massacred hundreds of civilians in Wola and Ochota. I have noticed that Himmler threw either specialized or criminal units into the defense of "Warschau" ...  

Against orders, a small group of Polish airmen flew from a British airbase in Italy to drop supplies over Warsaw--this is the first air support of the Rising.   

Third Day of the Rising

The Warsaw Uprising has gone on for three days...much of the city is in Polish hands, but Himmler has called for SS reinforcements. Polish losses have been  heavy and relief from the Allies is expected: 

"...we found a suitable garden and marked an area for parachute drops with white sheets. We were full of hope, aid was bound to arrive any time now: weapons, ammunition, all that was required for the conduct of war. But in vain did we search the sky..." -- Stanislaw Likiernik, soldier of "Kedyw" diversionary group   

Today, August 1st...

...at five in the afternoon, a battle began in the city of Warsaw... 

To Arms! In the ranks of the AK.