TRAILERS HAVE FINALLY REACHED HOME

Norwegian and Polish delegations during the official trailers handover

There is no such gift that I could present to Norwegians - the director Mirosław Giętkowski was was deeply touched  - there are no words that can express my gratitude for these exhibits. 

The International Defence Exhibition features Norway as a Lead Nation.  Norwegian programme for Targi Kielce exhibition included and official hand-over of Narvik exhibits to Bydgoszcz Land Forces Museum. Expo Visitors had the opportunity to see the trailer found in the Jernvatne lake where it had rested for decades; during World War II Polish Army used it to transport the 220mm M28 mortar.  It is interesting to know that owing to the mortar size,  it used to be transported on three such platforms, separate for the barrel, carriage and base.  According to the manual, it took 5.5 hours to assemble and 2.5 hours to disassemble these elements at the battle position.

In September 1939, the mortars were in possession of 11,12 and 13 heavy artillery squadrons.  Each squadron had six mortars, two in each squadron battery.  At the Werechy battle the mortars cannonaded the German's 28th Infantry Division. The operation result was not satisfactory owing to the fact that the only ammunition available were high-explosive concrete-piercing rounds; thick-wall shell missiles contained a relatively small brisant charge.  Poles worked on fragmentation rounds development used on a battle field to fight against infantry.  Unfortunately, there was not enough time to launch regular production.  After the battle the mortars were in the hands of German and Soviet troops.  Germany had them in the armaments inventory as 22 cm Mörser 220 (p) - 12 units were transported to Norway and in 1941-42 they were operating as the coastal artillery weapons.  Coastal artillery is permanently settled in their position and does not require transportation, the mortar trailers were no longer needed.

Thanks to the cooperation of the Norwegian and Polish Ministries of Foreign Affairs, the three trailers were brought into Poland. The exhibits were officially handed over by Aasland William Stein - Deputy Director of Museum of the Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Norway to the Director of Bydgoszcz Land Forces Museum Mirosław Giętkowskiemu deputy director of the . The ceremony was also attended by Deputy Minister of National Defence of Norway Øystein Bo, as well as the Chief of the Inspectorate of Support for the Armed Forces Lieutenant General Edward Gruszka.