A GROUP of Polish Scouts will arrive in Hartlepool next month to pay homage to a national war hero here who lies buried in West View Cemetery.

The Scouts will make the journey in the Polish yacht, Tropiciel, and are the latest in a long line of “pilgrims” to visit the grave.

The scouts will be paying their respects to Captain Mamert Stankiewicz - after whom they are named – who died when his vessel, the Polish liner, Pilsudski, hit a mine just off Hartlepool.

With no regard for his own safety, Captain Stankiewicz remained on board the vessel until his 181 crew, including 14 Britons, left the ship, and he died as a result.

His heroism hit the headlines and crowds lined the route to Hartlepool cemetery from St Mary’s Church.

Since that time, the grave has been something of a shrine to the Polish people and it has been frequently visited by polish sailors and Hartlepudlians who remember the drama at sea.

Every time a Polish vessel berths in the harbour, the crew visits the grave and lays a wreath.

In September 1967, the crew of the Polish timber ship, Wroclaw, visited the grave and three months later more from the Ustka paid their respects.

THE latest in a long line of “pilgrims” to pay homage to a Polish national hero’s grave arrived in Hartlepool yesterday.

They are members of the Captain Mamert Stankiewicz Sea Scouts, who have made a special pilgrimage to pay homage at the grave of their hero – after whom they are named.

Captain Stankiewicz went down with his ship, the Pilsudski, on November 27, 1939, after it had hit a mine just a few miles off the Hartlepool coast.

Captain Stankiewicz stayed on board while the order to abandon ship was given and saved the lives of his 181 passengers and crew.

The scouts, along with members of the Hartlepool Sea Scouts, the Royal Naval Club, and the British Legion will all lay wreaths on the captain’s grave on Sunday.

But until then the Scouts under the command of Captain Z. Zrodlowski and troop leader Krzysztof Kot, have a hectic time ahead of them.

Arlier today they made a visit to the Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station and this evening they will pay a visit to Scout troop headquarters in Welwick Road.

There they will sing traditional Polish folk and Scout songs and in return the Elwick Road Scouts will sing English songs and Scouting melodies.

Later in the evening the Poles will pay a visit to the Royal Naval Club in Murray Street, where they once again will sing some of their songs.

Tentative arrangements have also been made for trips to places of interest in the North East and Durham Cathedral is high on the list.

In their own country the Scouts are regarded as celebrities.

They were ordinary Scouts until they read a bookn about Captain Stankiewicz. One scout told the Mail: “We took him to our hearts and asked if we could adopt his name. We were told we could and as soon as we heard we started making arrangements for this trip.”

Through newspapers in their home town of Krakow some factories and companies learned of the Scouts’ trip and decided to send them off in style.

A clothing factory, which makes suits for export, manafacured, tailor-made, two-piece suits for the Scouts and another company, which makes plastic bags, gave them 500 in which to store their gear.

But as one of the Scouts pointed out the bags were not used just for gear.

“We had a little bit of bad weather on the way here so we used the bags as sick bags. Although the company which made them didn’t have this in mind I’m sure they won’t mind”, he said.

The Scouts are being shown around by their unofficial ambassador, Mr Joe Kass, who lives in Seaton Carew.

He is acting as guide and interpreter for the Scouts and is making the arrangements for the rest of their stay.

The Polish ketch is scheduled to leave the harbour on Sunday night.

TEN POLISH Scouts led a parade through Hartlepool yesterday to pay homage to one of their country war heroes. They were joined y more than 40 people from local associations, plus many ordinary people who wanted to pay their respects to Captain Mamert Stankiewicz, who died when his ship was blown up off Hartlepool on November 27, 1939.

Capt. Stankiewicz remained on board to ensure the safety of his 181 passengers and crew, and is such a hero in Poland that the Scouts who led the parade come from a troop named after him.

Mr Joe Kass, of Seaton Carew, a former Pole looked after the Scouts during their four-day stay in Hartlepool and he told the Mail today: “They were delighted that so many people turned out to pay homage at the grave in West View cemetery.

“They were given a tremendous reception by everybody and have taken some happy memories back to Krakow.”

The Scouts left the port last night in their yacht which is owned by the Polish Sea Scouts.

During their visit, they were shown round the Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station, were guest of honour at several functions organised by the Royal Navy club and local scouts and were also given an impromptu Civic reception by the Mayor Coun. John Herbert.