Bolesław Romanowski was born on 21 March 1910 in Warklany, Poland, He was the legendary Commander of submarines during World War II: ORP "Jastrząb", "Dzik", and  "Sokół".

He graduated from the Naval Cadet School, was promoted to officer in the naval corps, twice completed the Underwater Swimming Course, and was a student of the Submarine Weapons Officers Course. He served as a navigation officer on the ORP "Żbik" submarine, head of the department in the Fleet Command's Mobilization Division, as well as flag navigator and signal officer of the destroyer squadron.

During the September Campaign, he served as a submarine weapons officer on the ORP 'Wilk' submarine in the Gulf of Gdańsk. He laid minefields off the Hel peninsula, and after exhausting the possibilities of action, he made a successful attempt to reach Great Britain and then  carried out patrols in the North Sea.

In 1941, he assumed the position of Commander of ORP "Sokół", which participated in the blockade of the port of Brest in France. In the same year, he was appointed Commander of ORP "Jastrząb". He was the first to navigate his vessel across the Atlantic Ocean. On May 2, 1942, in a tragic mistake, the ship was fired upon by a Norwegian destroyer in the Norwegian Sea. Commander Bolesław Romanowski was shot in both legs.

He returned to service at the end of 1942 and took command of ORP "Dzik". Together with the crew, he achieved great successes in the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas - sinking 5 ships, 3 landing ferries, and securing the landing in Sicily.

After the end of World War II, he was one of the few officers who decided to return to Poland. In 1947, he brought the destroyer ORP 'Błyskawica' to Poland. He then commanded the submarine ORP 'Sęp'.

In 1950, as part of Stalinist repressions against pre-war officers, he was dismissed from his position and arrested. Forced to leave the Coast, he moved to Poznań, and then to Bydgoszcz. After the thaw of 1956, he returned to service. He was the Deputy Commander of the Naval Academy. In 1957, he became the flagship miner of Branch IX of the General Staff. In the years 1961-1964, at the request of the Headquarters of the Polish Scouting Association, he was assigned as the captain of the 'Zawisza Czarny'. He completed 12 voyages on the Baltic and North Seas with it.

The author of “Torpedy w celu". Patron 3. Flotylli Okrętów, Bolesław Romanowski died on 12 August 1968 at the age of 58 years. He was buried with military honors at the Witomino Cemetery in Gdynia.

 

He was awarded:

• the Virtuti Militari Cross

• the Cross of Valour (twice)

• the Cross of Merit (twice)

• the Sea Medal (four times)
   

 

Copyright: Zofia Romanowska

​

​