11/25/2025
Did you know Canadians helped Poles during the Warsaw Uprising?
In August 1944, as the Polish Home Army rose up against N**i occupation in the Warsaw Uprising, Canadian airmen flew daring missions to drop ammunition, food, and medical aid into the besieged city. These flights, launched from Brindisi, Italy, spanned over 1,500 km and were often flown without fighter es**rt through hostile skies.
One such aircraft was the Halifax JP-276, crewed by five Canadians and two Britons. On the night of August 4–5, 1944, it was tragically shot down over southern Poland while delivering weapons and ammunition to the resistance. The Canadian pilot, Flight Lieutenant Arnold R. Blynn, and his crew were later buried in Kraków’s Rakowicki Cemetery, far from their homes in Nova Scotia and Ontario.
Their sacrifice is honoured at the Warsaw Uprising Museum and the Canadian Airmen Memorial in Ottawa—a testament to the deep bond between Canada and Poland, forged in courage and shared struggle.
You can learn about this story and more in the "Brothers in Arms" exhibit - see future updates for more information. Special thanks to Veterans Affairs Canada for their generous support of the Brothers in Arms exhibit.
