On July 26, 2026, Zabawa and Wał-Ruda once again became a gathering place for those who wish to cherish the memory of one of the greatest successes of the Polish Underground State. During the 82nd anniversary of Operation III Most, the Home Army soldiers, airmen, and residents of the region were remembered who, in the summer of 1944, participated in the daring operation to transport components of the German V-2 rocket to the West. This year’s commemorations also held a special significance for the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków, which has officially assumed patronage of the Operation III Most Museum in Zabawa.
Sunday’s ceremonies began with a Holy Mass at the Sanctuary of Blessed Karolina Kózkówna in Zabawa, celebrated with the intention of the participants of Operation III Most and all Home Army soldiers involved in underground activities during World War II.
After the service, participants proceeded to the monument in Wał-Ruda commemorating the heroes of the operation, where the national anthem was sung, a roll call of the fallen was read, and wreaths and bouquets were laid. Representatives of state and local governments, veterans’ groups, cultural institutions, and social organizations were among those in attendance.
Tomasz Kosecki, Director of the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków, also participated in the ceremony, his presence highlighting the Museum’s long-standing commitment to commemorating the history of Operation III Most and supporting the activities of the Operation III Most Museum in Zabawa.
The commemorations were organized by the Mayor of Radłów, Mateusz Borowiec, and the curator of the Sanctuary in Zabawa, Fr. Zbigniew Szostak, the Tarnów Starost Jacek Hudyma, the World Association of Home Army Soldiers, Tarnów District, and the Municipal Center for Culture and Reading in Radłów.
fot. Tarnów County- Paweł Topolski
One of the most important events of this year’s celebrations was the signing of an agreement between the Polish Aviation Museum in Krakow and the Blessed Karolina Kózkówna Parish in Zabawa, which operates the Operation III Most Museum. The signatories were Director Tomasz Kosecki and Father Zbigniew Szostak, curator of the Zabawa sanctuary.
Under the agreement, the Polish Aviation Museum assumes official patronage over the exhibition and will support its development, professional curation of the collection, its conservation, and protection, as well as modern exhibition standards. Both institutions will support each other in promoting patriotic and youth education, as well as promoting patriotic and aviation traditions, including through joint workshops, lectures, museum classes, and participation in patriotic events.
The cooperation between the two institutions has been steadily developing for several years. In 2024, the Polish Aviation Museum presented the exhibition “Theft of the V2 Secret and Operation Most” in Krakow, prepared in cooperation with the Museum of Operation III Most in Zabawa. The exhibition featured original artifacts related to Operation Most, remnants of V-2 rockets, photographs, and materials documenting the activities of Polish intelligence and the Home Army. The exhibition also profiled the participants of this daring operation – both Home Army soldiers and airmen who undertook the extremely risky mission of transporting the captured materials to the West.
During last year’s celebration of the 81st anniversary of Operation III Most, the Polish Aviation Museum donated life-size silhouettes of Polish partisans participating in the operation to the Operation III Most Museum in Zabawa. Previously, silhouettes of airmen associated with Operation “Most” were also prepared, allowing visitors to better understand the heroes of this extraordinary undertaking. This is yet another step demonstrating that the cooperation between the two institutions is not limited solely to joint anniversary celebrations but also encompasses the development of exhibitions, educational activities, and the popularization of the history of Operation III Most.
After the official portion, participants had the opportunity to visit the Operation III Bridge Museum in Zabawa, whose exhibition showcases memorabilia, documents, photographs, and reenactments related to the activities of the Home Army and the “Bridge” air operations.
A panel discussion on the history of Operation III Bridge followed. The meeting was moderated by Maria Byczyński and included Tomasz Kosecki, Director of the Polish Aviation Museum in Krakow; Father Zbigniew Szostak; Dr. Olgierd Grott, Deputy Director of the Home Army Museum; and a representative of the V-2 Museum in Blizna.
The discussion focused on the significance of the operation for the course of World War II, the role of Polish intelligence, and the need to further popularize knowledge about events that for many years remained in the shadow of great history.
The celebrations culminated in a historical picnic organized at the Operation III Most Museum. Historical reenactors, educational booths, and military displays created a space for families to meet, discuss, and explore history.
Although today, Operation III Most is considered one of the greatest successes of Polish intelligence during World War II, its success was the result of many months of work by hundreds of people – Home Army soldiers, intelligence officers, couriers, liaison officers, airmen, and residents of the Tarnów area.
In the autumn of 1943, the Germans began intensive testing of V-2 rockets at the Blizna training ground. Information about the new weapon reached Allied intelligence from the outset thanks to the Home Army’s excellent network. The breakthrough came in May 1944, when one of the rockets fell in the Sarnaki area on the Bug River without being completely destroyed. Home Army soldiers managed to secure its most important components, hide them from the Germans, and then hand them over to Polish specialists, who analyzed them.
The greatest challenge, however, remained the transfer of the captured components to the Allies.
The clandestine airstrip “Motyl,” located between Wał-Ruda and Jadowniki Mokre, played a key role. It was here that Allied Douglas C-47 Dakota aircraft landed twice. The first time was on the night of May 29-30, 1944, during Operation II Most, when couriers, emissaries, and mail were exchanged between occupied Poland and the Allied base in Brindisi, Italy.
The second landing took place on the night of July 25-26, 1944, during Operation III Most. It was then that the most valuable cargo was loaded onto the Dakota – V-2 rocket components, technical documentation, and studies prepared by Polish specialists. Representatives of the Polish Underground State also set off for the West.
The aircraft’s crew was commanded by New Zealand RAF pilot George Culliford, accompanied by Polish pilot Kazimierz Szrajer, navigator J.P. Williams, and radio operator John “Johnny” Appleby. They completed an extremely difficult night flight from Brindisi, Italy, to occupied Poland, landing on a makeshift runway prepared by Home Army soldiers.
The aircraft also carried members of the Cichociemni and emissaries of the Polish Underground State, including Jan Nowak-Jeziorański, Kazimierz Bilski, Leszek Starzyński, and Bogusław Wolniak, who were tasked with carrying out further clandestine missions in occupied Poland.
After landing, a rapid loading operation began. The aircraft carried the most important components of the V-2 rocket, technical documentation, and studies prepared by Polish specialists.
Flying off to Italy with the priceless cargo were Jerzy Chmielewski “Rafał,” who was responsible for handing over the captured rocket components and explaining their operation to the Allies, as well as Józef Retinger, Tadeusz Chciuk “Celt,” Czesław Miciński, and Tomasz Arciszewski, later Prime Minister of the Polish Government in Exile.
Originally, the passengers were also to include the distinguished glider designer and Home Army intelligence officer Antoni Kocjan, a man who played a key role in dismantling the German rocket program. However, a few weeks before the operation, he was arrested by the Gestapo and murdered, so Jerzy Chmielewski took his place.
The success of Operation III Most was not solely due to the Dakota crew. The “Motyl” landing site was secured by approximately four hundred Home Army soldiers commanded by Captain Kocjan. Władysław Kabat “Brzechwa,” supported by Lieutenant-Cadre Zdzisław Baszak “Pirat.” Local conspirators prepared the runway, ensured the transport of rocket components, and maintained a tight secret, while liaisons and couriers coordinated the flow of information between the various groups.
The operation almost ended in failure. During takeoff, the heavily loaded Dakota became stuck on soft ground. Only the swift assistance of Home Army soldiers, who dug out the plane’s wheels and prepared the runway for a new takeoff run, allowed the plane to take off just moments before German troops arrived.
The cargo safely reached Great Britain, where the captured V-2 rocket components were thoroughly examined by Allied scientists. The knowledge transferred thanks to Polish intelligence enabled them to understand the design of the German weapon, develop countermeasures, and prepare operations against the Third Reich’s rocket program.
It is no coincidence that historians call Operation III Most one of the most important special operations of World War II. It was a testament to the extraordinary professionalism of the Polish Underground State and the cooperation of individuals united by a single goal: to provide the Allies with knowledge that could influence the outcome of the war.
Eighty-two years after the events of July 1944, Operation III Most remains a symbol of the courage, professionalism, and extraordinary determination of those who fought for the freedom of not only Poland but all of Europe.
This year’s commemorations in Zabawa and Wał-Ruda demonstrated that remembering the participants of this extraordinary operation is not limited to annual commemorations. Thanks to the cooperation of the Polish Aviation Museum in Krakow and the Operation III Most Museum in Zabawa, the story of one of the most daring special operations of World War II will be told to future generations in an even more complete, professional, and historically accurate manner.
