Celebration of the 80th anniversary of the sinking of ORP Kujawiak
15.06.2022
On June 15, on the eve of the 80th anniversary of the sinking of the Polish destroyer ORP Kujawiak off the coast of Malta, in the Upper Barrakka Gardens in Valletta, fights commemorating this tragedy. On the night of June 15/16, 1942, thirteen Polish sailors lost their lives.
During the ceremony, speeches were delivered by Tomasz Czyszek - the Polish Ambassador to Malta, and Owen Bonnici - Minister of National Heritage, Arts and Local Government of the Republic of Malta, who laid wreaths under the plaque commemorating this event, as did the representative of the Maltese Armed Forces. During the ceremony, we also hosted representatives of Heritage Malta and the Polish 'Wreck Expeditions' Association, which in 2014 found the wreckage of the ORP 'Kujawiak' ship, and in 2015 funded a commemorative plaque in Valletta, for which they were honored during the ceremony. The President of the Association, Mr. Mariusz Borowiak and the head of exploratory expeditions ending with the discovery of the ship, Mr. Piotr Wytykowski, received the Bene Merito honorary badges awarded by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. On behalf of the 'Wreck Expeditions' Association, its president also received the Medal of the Guardian of National Memorials awarded to the Association by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage.
During the ceremony, the Armed Forces of Malta provided honorary assistance.
The Polish chaplain in Malta, Fr. Henryk Błaszczyk led the prayer for the Polish sailors, who were also honored with a minute of silence, and a gun salute
was fired.
The Orchestra of the Armed Forces of Malta provided a ceremonial performance of the national anthems of Poland and Malta. She also performed the Polish seaman's song "Sea, our sea", popular during World War II.
We remember!
