"Gazeta Wyborcza" Poznan, Friday, 22nd October 2004
www.gazeta.pl/poznan
What were the Scottish fans doing during their visit to Poznan and
Wronki for the match of Glasgow Rangers and Amica Wronki? Singing –
yes. Drinking beer – yes. Cheering – that too. But they also... paid
their tribute at the Poznan Citadel.
Poznan Citadel is a cemetery for many pilots who were killed during
night air raids on Poland. Apart from graves of Poles and Brits there
are also tombs of pilots from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Greece,
Lithuania, Czechoslovakia and even South Africa and Jamaica. Buried
here are also prisoners of German prisoner camps of the First and
Second World Wars, including those from the camp in Zagan – captured
and shot in the spring of 1944 during their famous great escape. These
events have been told in the 1963 film “The Great Escape” with Steve
McQueen, Charles Bronson and Richard Attenborough. The film was made on
the basis of Paul Brickhill’s novel.
The website www.rangers.premiumtv.co.uk has informed about the escape
and the film. “Poznan is an unusual place for every Scot. Here is a
cemetery where prisoners escaped from the camp in Zagan during the
Great Escape in 1944 are buried. Many of them were Scottish.” – says
the text “God save McQueen”.
Scottish fans of Glasgow Rangers arrived to Poznan already on Wednesday
and at the airport declared that they had heard about Zagan and would
visit the cemetery in the Citadel. – We want to go there, because we
are Rangers fans. And Rangers fans are patriots. – said a Scottish fan
called Allan.
And indeed, yesterday a delegation of two Rangers fans appeared at the
Commonwealth cemetery. – I have seen “The Great Escape”. My brother had
a poster from this film on the wall in his room. – said one of them,
called Neil, who declared he was interested in history. – Incredible,
they dug a tunnel and escaped. They were extraordinary people and
extraordinary story. I didn’t know it was true. – he added, describing
the fugitives using the word “courageous”, that is very brave. – Damned
Gestapo – said the other fan called Roddy, looking at the gravestones.
Neil and Roddy spread the British flag and took photographs. – We have
read about it on our website and decided to come. It is our cemetery,
even though it is so far away from Scotland. – said Neil. – Is there
beer in Wronki? – added Roddy.
The Scots walked back. They didn’t walk far, as the whole army of
Rangers fans stayed in Polonez hotel near the Citadel. – What is the
team from this city called? – they were asking, and when they found
out, they couldn’t believe that Lech lost in the UEFA Cup with a team
from Chechnya. – What, they threatened you with weapons, or something?
– asked one of them.
After 1 p.m. the coaches with Rangers fans went to Wronki.
SCOTTISH GRAVE
Sergeant John Macintosh is one of the Scottish soldiers buried at the
Commonwealth cemetery at Citadel in Poznan. He was a RAF pilot and was
on board a Lancaster bomber which took part at night of 28 April 1943
in the action of mining of the Baltic Sea coast between Denmark and
S´winoujscie (in Poland). Out of 207 British aeroplanes German night
fighters shoot down 22, including the machine in which sergeant
Macintosh was. Lancaster fell near the Elbe river. Three men died on
the spot, other four members of the crew jumped out with parachutes.
Sergeant Macintosh is buried with his friend from the place, air gunner
called M. Savage. The inscription on the gravestone says: “In loving
memory of our dear son Johnny fondly remembered. Dad, mum and family.”