The Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) has published a vintage photo showing a young woman wearing a Polish military uniform. "We would like to learn the story of an unidentified girl photographed over 70 years ago in one of English streets" - the institute wrote in a Facebook post. "We want to find out if she continued her emigration, or maybe she returned to her war-ravaged homeland" - the IPN said.
The photo shows a young woman in a steel blue military uniform designed for air forces. She is wearing a side cap with the Polish Eagle. "Missing girl from the photo. Who are you?" - the IPN wrote in the post asking for help in identifying the woman from the photograph.
We would like to learn the story of an unidentified girl photographed over 70 years ago in one of English streets. We want to find out if she continued her emigration, or maybe she returned to her war-ravaged homeland, where Stalinist terror in full swing" - the statement reads.
The IPN added that, despite carrying out a query in the archives, the woman's identity remains unknown. "We still don't know who is the person in the photo, if she is still alive, or whether her kids or grandchildren are" - the IPN said.
"The photograph was found in a file titled 'Polish Armed Forces in the West' (...). It could have been taken in London, Edinburgh, Glasgow or St. Andrews" - the institute added.
The Polish Armed Forces in the West, loyal to the Polish government-in-exile, were first formed in France and its Middle East territories following the defeat and occupation of Poland by Germany and the Soviet Union in September 1939.
After the fall of France in June 1940, the formations were recreated in the United Kingdom. Making a large contribution to the war effort, the Polish Armed Forces in the West was composed of army, air and naval forces.
The Polish Armed Forces in the West were disbanded after the war, in 1947, with many former servicemen forced to remain in exile as they were seen as enemies of the state by Poland's communist government.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, IPN, tvn24.pl
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: Institute of National Remembrance