The Polish Government never formally surrendered to the Nazis and set up a Government in Exile in London. They had tens of thousands of men who had escaped from Poland, and atrocities such as the Katyn massacre, but were short of equipment.

Some of their ships also escaped to Britain, notably - as I live in Southampton - ORP Blyskawica played a critical role in defending Cowes from air attack. At this time, she was still a Polish ship, crewed and captained by Poles, and subject to Polish regulations, but under command of the British Admiralty.

Similarly, the Polish Air Force was re-formed, in Britain, of Polish pilots and officers, flying donated British equipment. Possibly the most notable, 303 squadron, was one of the first two established in 1940 with Hawker Hurricanes and quickly proved to be a very effective unit in the Battle of Britain. British pilots had very high regard for the Polish, praising the Polish pilots for the skill and courage, saying they would fly in conditions nobody else would just to get more kills.

There were Polish units fighting on the ground and in the air during the fall of France, there were Polish units at the Battle of Narvic, and in North Africa and the Middle East. They took part in the landings at Normandy and jumped in Operation Market Garden.

And we fucked them. After the war we handed their country to the Soviets against their will and deported them to be incarcerated in Gulags or executed. C'est la guerre.