As has been previously stated, many countries played their part in BAOR and its forebears. Some played a part right from the start before the title BAOR was even thought about, some were there for a considerable time, others for just a short while.

In the case of Poland, that country’s military involvement was relatively short-lived, due in some part to reasons that have been previously explained, both military and political. But the contribution of Polish nationals did not end there; many of us will have memories of the “Mojo’s”, and that term is used with the greatest of respect. It was the end of an era when the MSO ceased to exist.

Aside from those who remained in Germany as MSO etc, there were those who risked much to escape the occupation of their homelands, and served, both during hostilities and afterwards as members of the UK Services.

BAOR Locations is proud to be able to show the contribution one man made, both in War Service and afterwards.

That man is Peter Holc.

Peter Holc was born Peter Hermann Holz, on May 19th 1921 in Grudziadz, situated on the Vistula in Northern Poland. The Polish version of his name is Piotr Holc, and he was to be known in later life as Peter Holc. The photograph above shows him aged about 2 years old in his birthplace, the one below at about 13 years old in Wilno.

In the late 1930s the rumblings of war were beginning to grow louder, with Poland the target of two nations secretly planning the invasion of that country. Peter, along with many other young men, joined his nation’s military services and opted for the Polish Air Force.

The photograph above reportedly shows Peter at about 16 years of age in Wilno, the one below shows him in Polish Air Force uniform at about 17 years of age. There is some doubt that the photograph, above, is Peter, and confirmation would be most welcome.

Germany invaded Poland on 1st September 1939, after a staged incident the day before at Gleiwitz, supported by Slovak forces. Sixteen days later, Soviet Forces invaded Poland from the East, and by 6th October Poland had been occupied by, and divided between, Germany and Russia.

Poland’s resistance to the attacks was quickly overpowered and large numbers of the Polish Forces were evacuated, or escaped through Romania and/or Hungary. Many eventually made their way to France, and then on to England when France fell to the Germans. Peter Holc, at 19 years of age, was one of those who eventually arrived in England.

Many joined the British Forces, and in a lot of cases were grouped in to predominantly Polish units. Peter joined the Polish Air Force (A little more on this can be found here).

I will not attempt to try and tell his story from there, I will leave to you to read the images of press cuttings shown further down this page. Suffice to say that he served his birth and adopted nations to the highest standard, and his descendants should be rightly proud of that.

As can be seen from the photographs above, Peter was a proud member of the Victory Parade in London

Peter (Piotr) Hermann Holc – England WW2

Looking at the above photograph, the marking (GR) on the fuselage was used by 301 (Pomorski/Pomeranian) Squadron of the Polish Air Force. This would be rather apt in that Peter’s birthplace was in Pomerania. The squadron flew a variety of aircraft; Fairey Battle, Wellington 1C and 1V, Halifax II V and VIII, Liberator VI, and the Warwick.

The actual Squadrons Peter flew with are unknown to me at this time.

Paul Pearce-Smith

Peter was demobbed at the end of the war but re-enlisted to serve in excess of a further 20 years, finally leaving the service in 1968.

Taken from the Rutland and Stamford Mercury.
Left hand column follows on in the image below, back to this image for the right column.

Taken from the Rutland and Stamford Mercury.

Enlargements from Newspaper.

All photographs courtesy, and with the permission of, of Lucian Holc

In the top image of the Rutland and Stamford Mercury (right column) it is seen that he was awarded the Polish VC – Virtuti Militari – for his action in saving a bomber and the surviving crew. His name (Piotr Holc) can be found on the list here, the page is in alphabetical order.

Below is part of a message received from Peter’s daughter. She is rightly proud of her father and his achievements.

He was such a brave man during the war when he joined the Freedom Fighters and subsequently the Polish Air Force in England. He had suffered such a lot before arriving in England and subsequently during the war defending our shores. He had the double whammy of knowing that his parents and family where in Hamburg and he could so easily have wiped them out on his bomber missions to Germany. He was not a person who talked about his exploits and it was only in his latter years that we even found out how he won his Virtuti de Militari.

My father was awarded the Polish equivalent of the Victoria Cross as he was on a bombing mission flying Wellington Bombers and the pilot and second pilot where shot and unable to emergency land the aircraft and it had on board a full bomb load. My father who had no experience whatsoever of piloting an aeroplane landed (with help by talk through) the aircraft safely. The rest of the crew (apart from the tail end Charlie) were safe. My father was 75 years old before he revealed the reason for his award.

I have no information regarding my father’s time before he escaped from Military school and had to penetrate the Russian lines which what he stood up in and a list of safe houses which proved to be anything but safe in the end. He arrived in England after being in France for some time and forming up with like minded Polish military persons and getting across to England.

Sandra Smith (nee Holc)