I started skydiving erstwhile I was 49. I wanted to feel at least the exception of what my grandpa felt under Driel – says Mateusz Mroz. In a fewer days, he will one more time jump off the historical deck of the Dakota C-47 aircraft and, like soldiers during Operation marketplace Garden, he will usage a circular landing parachute. Only modern production.
Is she nervous?
Matthew Frost: Actually, no. It won't be my first jump. To be honest, I feel more tense before I go to Holland. You've got to pack up, drive a car 200 miles, get there in time...
It's not the first jump, it's definitely special.
Yeah, it's the 80th anniversary. ‘Market Garden’ operationAnd on this occasion, large celebrations. For me, these celebrations will besides look a small different than in erstwhile years. For 1 thing, I'll jump not once, but twice.
Then tell me a small more about it.
I'll give the first jump on Wednesday 18 September. I'll land in Overasselt close Grave. It was there on September 23, 1944 that the Americans and the second throw of the brigade commanded by General Stanisław Sosabowski. On Sunday, as in erstwhile years, I will jump at Driel, that is, the place where the main Polish forces landed during the war. all time I jump in global company. Under Driel, for example, Americans, British, Dutch, Belgians, Australians, Greeks and evidence number of Poles are landing. This year there will be 35 of us.
Driel, where he jumped from Dakota years ago, Captain Adolf Mroz, your grandfather...
Yeah, it's precisely the same place.
When did you first hear this story?
I knew that my grandpa had participated in the “Market Garden” since I was a child. Unfortunately, I never had a chance to meet him. Grandpa remained in exile in Britain after the war. He died in 1969. I was 4 at the time. The father brought to Poland his body and souvenirs – decorations, military IDs, books. As a boy, I did any reading on the historical desanto. But for communes, the subject was treated alternatively stepmotherly... Until the year 2004 and the 60th anniversary of the "Market Garden" came, and something touched me. I said to my father: “Listen, you and I have never been there. I think it's time to change that." I took the eldest son, who was 9 years old at the time, and we packed up in the car and drove. In the Netherlands, I started going to places I only knew from books, and I felt like I had to do more. shortly I went to the General Sikorski Institute in London. In search of Grandpa's information, I've reviewed the papers 1 The Parade Brigade on its own. By the way, I discovered that 19 Polish soldiers died under ArnhemThere are no name graves. I decided to identify the Polish NN graves in order to reconstruct the memory part. At the War Cemetery in Arnhem-Oosterbeek, for the time being, there were 2 named gravestones. There are 2 more identified in line. British procedures are very tedious here...
What was your grandfather's story?
Typical of many Polish soldiers. Before the war, grandpa worked as a surveyor in Warsaw. At the same time he graduated from the Infantry Reserve Podchorze School in Zambrowa and served in the 13th Infantry Regiment. In July 1939, he was mobilized and then sent to the front. After the September defeat, he went to an internment camp in Romania. From there, he made his way to France, yet landed in Britain. He made his way to the 4th firearm Squadron, which was shortly renamed the 1st Paratroop Brigade. Grandpa was in the first group of trained soldiers, taking course number seven. In the fall of 1944 he participated in Operation “Market Garden”, where he was unfortunately badly injured. He lost his leg...
Bad jump?
No, Grandpa landed happily. At 23rd by 24th September, the brigade was to cross Ren to support the British. However, close Driel, she was hit by dense mortar fire. The blasting bullet hurt Grandpa's legs. 1 managed to save, the another unfortunately not. Already in London, she was amputated. However, Grandpa remained in the brigade. He served as an intelligence officer in the staff and cartographer of the unit. He served the rank of captain. He besides taught young surveyors the profession of surveyors so that in the future they would have... These qualifications helped him to get into exile. After the war he taught at Polytechnic School of London.
And it was thanks to Grandpa that you decided to become a parachutist?
That's it. erstwhile we went to the ceremony in the Netherlands in 2004, we caught Ginkel. And there I had the chance to watch the occasional landing of British soldiers. They jumped off the plane of the Dakota, utilized circular parachutes – precisely as the Allies utilized during the war. Then I thought it would be good to jump like them. To feel at least the exception of what Grandpa had felt 60 years earlier. But until the final decision I grew up long.
How long?
Ten years. In 2014, I took the course and obtained a licence to jump with a circular parachute. I went through training in the Netherlands, due to the fact that in Poland specified a licence cannot be obtained, although erstwhile you already have one, you can make jumps without the slightest problem. Soon, during the anniversary celebrations I jumped for the first time. I was 49 at the time...
And then, I understand, it's gone downhill.
I go to the Netherlands regularly, in Poland I participate in reconstructions of silent discharges, in France I had the chance to jump from Junkers 52... It's been a while. I usually jump in the company of friends, enthusiasts from Pathfinder Group. Although I do not do this very frequently – usually two, 3 times a year, on various occasions.
Does this require peculiar training?
I don't think so, but of course the jumper has to show general fitness. erstwhile it drops at a velocity of 5 m/s, the force of impact on the ground is truly strong erstwhile it lands. But wellness is the most crucial thing. I don't think anyone with back or joints can do it.
Do you always jump utilizing historical equipment?
The circular parachute is of course modern due to the fact that no 1 would let us jump with the old original. During the parties in the Netherlands, I utilized to usage historical battledresses or a Denis Smock parachute jacket, but yet I gave it up due to the fact that it's a shame. I switched the first device to the mannequin that's at my house. For posterity. In a fewer days, however, I will have on my head the first brigade helmet with yellow (so were yellow) eagle. And above all, we will traditionally jump off the board of the authentic Douglas C-47 Dakota aircraft. The device participated in the “Market Garden”! There are even patched holes on its hull – traces of anti-aircraft artillery shells. present it belongs to a private owner. Get on it and return the jump from 250-300 m... Really, it feels amazing.
Do you have any sense that after a small bit you managed to follow your grandfather's footsteps?
Maybe a little... Although, of course, it's hard for me to feel what he felt. due to the fact that I never jumped under the fire of device guns, my life wasn't on the line. Fortunately... I'm going to Holland for the last time. Polish veterans of "Market Garden" no longer participate in the celebrations. They leave very quickly. At the moment, I think there's only 1 alive who's 104. 1 more minute, and the veterans won't be at the ceremony at all. Then they will most likely take on a different dimension. I've achieved my goal. I think I someway paid tribute to Grandpa and all those soldiers who took part in the operation. And I think it's time to end. I'll just be identifying the missing.
Market Garden is the largest airborne operation of planet War II. It was attended by 85 1000 soldiers from large Britain, the USA, Canada and Poland (1st Parade Brigade under General Stanisław Sosabowski). The main goal of the Allies was to capture the key bridges on the Rhine, Waal and Mosli before Germany could blow them up, bypassing the heavy fortified Siegfried line from the north, yet occupying the Ruhra Basin – the industrial heart of the 3rd Reich. The implementation of this plan was to importantly accelerate the end of the war. The operation carried out in September 1944, however, failed. The Allies failed to take the key bridge at Arnhem, and the Germans yet managed to repel the strike.
