1937: seven 120 mm guns, 4 x 40 mm AA guns, MG's, 6 torpedo launchers 1941: eight 102 mm (4in) AA guns, 4 x 40 mm AA guns, 4 x 20 mm AA guns, 6 torpedo launchers
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She was the latter of two Grom-class destroyers, built for the Polish Navy by J. Samuel White, Cowes. The name means Lightning. The two Groms were some of the most heavily-armed destroyers on the seas before World War II.
Two days before the war, on 30 August1939, the Błyskawica withdrew, along with the Grom and the Burza destroyers, from the Baltic Sea to Britain in accodrance with the Peking Plan to avoid their loss. From then on they acted in tandem with the Royal Navy's Home Fleet. On 7 September1939Błyskawica made contact with and attacked a U-Boat, resulting in possibly the first combat between the Allied and the German fleets.
In early May 1940Błyskawica took part in the Norwegian Campaign, shelling German positions and downing two Luftwaffe aircraft. Her sister ship Grom was bombed and sunk during the campaign. Later that month, she took part in covering Operation Dynamo, the wildly-successful Franco-British evacuation from Dunkirk.
ORP Błyskawica in Northern Atlantic during WWII
During the remainder of the war, the Błyskawica took part in convoy and patrol duties, engaging both U-boats and the Luftwaffe in the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. In 1941 her 120 mm guns were replaced with British four-inch (102 mm) anti-aircraft guns.
On the nights of May 4 and May 5 1942, the Błyskawica was instrumental in defending the Isle of Wight town of Cowes from a potentially devastating air raid by 160 German bombers. In 2002 the crew's courage was honoured by a local commemoration lasting several days to mark the 60th anniversary of the event. In 2004 an area of Cowes was named Francki Place in honour of the ship's commander.
On 8 June1944 the Błyskawica took part in a battle with the German destroyers at Ushant.
During the war, she logged 146,000 nautical miles and escorted eighty-three convoys. In combat she damaged three U-boats and shot down at least four aircraft before the war's conclusion in May 1945, also took part in sinking some other ships.
After the war, she returned to Poland. Since 1 May1976 she has served as museum ship in Gdynia, replacing the Burza. The museum ship is open to public from May 1st to mid-November daily except Mondays and days following state holidays 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m..
