740.0011 European War 1939/20960: Telegram
The Ambassador to the Polish Government in Exile (Biddle) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 13—3:05 p.m.]
Polish Series 31. For the President and the Acting Secretary. Your 16, April 10, 8 p.m. Sikorski states the following have arrived partly at Pahlevi, Iran, and partly at Krasnovodsk in Turkmen [Soviet Socialist Republic]: 1,603 officers, 28,427 soldiers, 1,159 auxiliary women’s corps, 12,619 civilians, mostly women and children, including 2,000 youths approaching military age. This makes a total of 43,808 persons. Those still at Krasnovodsk are to be transported immediately to Pahlevi to join the others. Their general state of health and morale is reported to be good. British military authorities are supervising their welfare. Further information as to their care is not available at this moment.
Sikorski has just telegraphed Stalin that he regards this move as part of their agreement wherein Stalin promised to permit about 25,000 troops to leave Russia for service partly in the Near East, partly in Britain. Sikorski furthermore told Stalin he now hoped he would reopen the recruiting stations to permit the Polish military authorities continue the organization of the Polish force in Russia.