2RHPZ
07-14-2004, 12:07 PM
Leuitenant - Colonel Vladimir Peniakoff
D.S.O. - M.C. "POPSKI"
Vladimir Peniakoff was born in Huy, Belgium, on 30 March 1897. His parents, who had emigrated from Russia remained Russians all their lives, but Vladimir opted for nationality of the country where he was born. .... Vladimir Peniakoff was granted a commission in the Libyan Arab Force -a company which he transformed into a commando-unit, with the idea of operating behind the enemy lines. But it was as a lone operator that Vladimir became known.- being taken to and from behind enemy lines by that famous unit, the Long Range Desert Group. Towards the end of the desert campaign Vladimir was asked to form a raiding unit of his own -the outcome being the "No 1 Long Range Demolition Squadron". During their travels with the L.R.D.G., the New Zealanders found his real name Peniakoff too much of a tongue-twister, so he was dubbed "POPSKI" by those brave and resourceful soldiers. When Vladimir hesitated in choosing a name for his new unit, General Sir John Hackett, who was then in charge of Special Operations in the Middle East, dubbed his unit into "Popski's Private Army". The formation of the unit, however, didn't take effect until just before the battle of El Alamein, and P.P.A. was therefore too late to take part in the battles for Egypt and Libya, but it made contributions to the fighting in Tunisia and Algeria. After the desert and North Africa campaign, P.P.A. operated extensively in Italy and Austria up to the last day of the war. After the war P.P.A. disbanded and Popski married a girl from Suffolk. Later he lived in England where he died in the middle of May 1951 of a brain tumor.... More (http://users.pandora.be/ppa/blad6.htm)
Historical Summary
P.P.A. was made responsible for a section of the front about 4 miles long extending East of the main Rimini - Ravenna road to the Adriatic coast. The area was largely flooded, partly wooded and intersected by deep canalized rivers running between high banks. The coast was a strip of low sand dunes with a goodsandy beach. The Germans held the area in dept with isolated prepared positions under the river banks, infarmsteads, haystacks and in the coastal dunes; all approaches being covered dy mine fields. They had good mortar and artillery supports.
Full article (http://users.pandora.be/ppa/blad7a.htm)
D.S.O. - M.C. "POPSKI"
Vladimir Peniakoff was born in Huy, Belgium, on 30 March 1897. His parents, who had emigrated from Russia remained Russians all their lives, but Vladimir opted for nationality of the country where he was born. .... Vladimir Peniakoff was granted a commission in the Libyan Arab Force -a company which he transformed into a commando-unit, with the idea of operating behind the enemy lines. But it was as a lone operator that Vladimir became known.- being taken to and from behind enemy lines by that famous unit, the Long Range Desert Group. Towards the end of the desert campaign Vladimir was asked to form a raiding unit of his own -the outcome being the "No 1 Long Range Demolition Squadron". During their travels with the L.R.D.G., the New Zealanders found his real name Peniakoff too much of a tongue-twister, so he was dubbed "POPSKI" by those brave and resourceful soldiers. When Vladimir hesitated in choosing a name for his new unit, General Sir John Hackett, who was then in charge of Special Operations in the Middle East, dubbed his unit into "Popski's Private Army". The formation of the unit, however, didn't take effect until just before the battle of El Alamein, and P.P.A. was therefore too late to take part in the battles for Egypt and Libya, but it made contributions to the fighting in Tunisia and Algeria. After the desert and North Africa campaign, P.P.A. operated extensively in Italy and Austria up to the last day of the war. After the war P.P.A. disbanded and Popski married a girl from Suffolk. Later he lived in England where he died in the middle of May 1951 of a brain tumor.... More (http://users.pandora.be/ppa/blad6.htm)
Historical Summary
P.P.A. was made responsible for a section of the front about 4 miles long extending East of the main Rimini - Ravenna road to the Adriatic coast. The area was largely flooded, partly wooded and intersected by deep canalized rivers running between high banks. The coast was a strip of low sand dunes with a goodsandy beach. The Germans held the area in dept with isolated prepared positions under the river banks, infarmsteads, haystacks and in the coastal dunes; all approaches being covered dy mine fields. They had good mortar and artillery supports.
Full article (http://users.pandora.be/ppa/blad7a.htm)