The Polish Navy announced on social media that today, October 1, 2026, marks 90 years since the christening and launch of the Grom-class destroyer ORP Błyskawica in the English port of Cowes. She is the oldest preserved ship of her type in the world and is now on display at the Naval Museum in Gdynia.
“We thank you for your daily service, nurturing maritime traditions, and the glorious history of battles fought by Polish sailors. On this proud jubilee day, we wish you unwavering satisfaction from fulfilling such a noble mission and always favorable winds,” the Polish Navy’s message concludes.
ORP Błyskawica was built by the British shipbuilder J. Samuel White in the 1930s and served in the Polish Navy during World War II. According to the Naval Museum in Gdynia, where the ship has been displayed for the past five decades, ORP Błyskawica was referred to as a “lucky ship” because only five seamen were killed while serving on her throughout the war, with 48 injured. ORP Błyskawica escorted 85 convoys, took part in 108 operational patrols, logging a distance of 138,356 nautical miles between 1939 and 1945. She engaged in combat throughout the war, fighting German vessels and aircraft.