Eighty years ago this week the Warsaw uprising is snuffed out

 

The uprising in Warsaw by the Polish Home Army came to an end when German military pressure forced its commanders to accept terms. The failure of the Red Army to continue its advance towards the city allowed the Germans to concentrate their ground forces with heavy weapons on suppressing the Poles. The Germans conceded the status of prisoners of war to the fighters who surrendered which was largely respected. Stalin's goal of eliminating a large force under the control of the Polish government-in-exile had been achieved.

The town of Calais and the associated positions at Cap Gris Nez fell to Canadian troops after little fighting. It had been declared a "fortress" but the garrison was demoralised and consisted of poor quality troops. The German long range artillery based there had inflicted some damage and, more important, prevented the use of the port of Boulogne. The port of Calais itself had been so badly damaged by Allied bombing and German demolitions that it was to take months for it to be brought into even limited operation.

GHQ Middle East compounded the damage it had inflicted on morale and on itself by mishandling the scheme to repatriate long-serving married soldiers who wished to start families. It was admitted that the shipping allocated  was derisorily small even before the predictably large take-up of the programme caught out the organisers. The scale of interest was ascribed to "try ons" as well as genuine paternal aspiration; doubtless true, but offensive. The board tasked with considering applications was hardly representative. It had consisted of three officers, one NCO and one private. It also emerged that Purchase Tax was being levied on the contents of parcels sent home by servicement in the theatre.