This organisation was linked to Operation ADJUDICATE and was active from the autumn of 1941 until mid-1942 operating in Vichy France. Its name is taken from the Finnish Olympic runner Paavo Nurmi. Set up by Lt. Teodor Dzierzgowski, its role covered espionage, sabotage and setting up drop zones for air supplies in Vichy France.
The organisation was dismantled by the Vichy police in mid-1942 with many of its members arrested. However, some escaped to Britain and sought compensation for their activities (TNA/ HS4-237) under Operation ADJUDICATE funding. The known operatives included:
| Name | Known Activity |
| Capt. Rev. Piotr Miczko | Deputy Chief, arrested on 22nd August 1942. Escaped with Lt. Jaculewicz Mieczysław to Toulouse arriving in Britain 16th November 1942. Mieczysław became an instructor at STS 43 Audley End training Cichociemni.(See https://polandinexile.com/article/cichociemni-the-role-of-couriers/) |
| Capt. Stanisław Bahyrycz | Chief of the Perigueux District. See Operation MONIKA (See https://polandinexile.com/article/operation-monika/) |
| Lt. Doctor Stanisław Paczynski | N/K |
| Lt. Jan Bukowski (Jan Grabowski) | Chief of Limoges area. Imprisoned in Spain for 5 months. Joined Polish Independent Parachute Brigade.(See https://polandinexile.com/article/operation-market-garden/) |
| Lt. Mieczysław Jaculewicz | Joined Special Section C in C General Staff and then posted to STS 43 Audley End training Cichociemni specialising in sabotage and night drops. |
| 2nd Lt. Alfred Stelmach | N/K |
| 2nd Lt. Eugeniusz Matuszczak | N/K |
| Sgt. Czesław Grzybowski | Joined Polish Independent Parachute Brigade.(See https://polandinexile.com/article/operation-market-garden/) |
| Sgt. Marian Kosmalski | Former 7th Gendarmerie Platoon based at Bron airfield. |
| Corp. Bogdan Blachnierek | N/K |
| Corp. Józef Kowel (?) | Joined Polish Independent Parachute Brigade. |
| Corp. Marian Rycharski | Chief of section in Toulouse area. Joined Special Section C in C General Staff. |
| Corp. Leon Pajaczkowski | N/K |
| L/ Corp. Zygmunt Naglik | Joined Polish Independent Parachute Brigade. |
| Cadet Officer Czesław Bursa | Joined Special Section C in C General Staff. He was posted to Staff headquarters of 1 Brygada Grenadierów as head of a security platoon as a 2ndLt. |
| Cadet Officer Bohdan Łozinski | N/K |
| Cadet Officer Tadeusz Krala | Chief of the Chateauroux Section. Trained as a Cichociemni and parachuted into France in Operation DAVIDSTOW 1 with 2nd Lt. Henryk Bronicki (Henri Jules Bermout, Orzel) (TNA/HS9/214-2 and HS9/861-7) in Haute Vienne, Limoges.(See https://polandinexile.com/article/continental-action/) |
| Cadet Officer Witold Sikorski | Joined Special Section C in C General Staff and completed parachute training. Parachuted into France on 31st July 1944 in Operation DAVERSHAM/ DAVIDSTOW 1A with 2nd Lt. Bronisław Sierawski and Walerian Maciejewski (W/T Operator) at Bohdan, Limoges.(See https://polandinexile.com/article/continental-action/) |
| Cadet Officer Tadeusz Bletek | Member of cell at Ussat-les-Bains, Ariége department in SW France. As an escaped POW he commanded the 2nd Section. On arrival in Britain, he was posted to the 11th Company Engineers of the 1stPolish Armoured Division as a 1st Lt.He coordinated combat engineering manoeuvres for combat vehicles. On 26th April 1945 led a highly dangerous assault over the river Leda near Potshausen, Germany. He was awarded the British Military Cross and Poland’s Cross of Valour (Krzyż Walecznych).(See https://polandinexile.com/article/the-march-to-germany/) |
| Cadet Officer Jan Jaworski | Posted to 1st Polish Armoured Division as a tank mechanic and after the war served with the BOAR attached to the 21st Army Group. |
| Cadet Officer Franciszek Wład | Chief of Section in Toulouse. Escaped from France with Lt. Jaculewicz (PAF) and Lt. Paczyński. |
| Cadet Officer Bogdan Loziński | De-coder in Toulouse area. Arrested in July 1943 and escaped from the prison in Albi in April 1943. Joined the partisans in Haute Savoie. Arrived in Gibraltar October 1943. |
| W.O Wojciech Sliwa | Operated in the Lyon area until August 1942 and imprisoned until February 1943 when he was released. Escaped to Britain on 25th August 1943. |
| Adam Hyliński | N/K |
| Kazimierz Nowak | Joined Polish Independent Parachute Brigade. Saw action at MARKET GARDEN as an Airborne Anti-tank Battery. KIA 10th September 1944 at Sint-Michielsgestel. |
| Władysław Majher (sometimes spelt Majcher) | N/K |
Source: TNA/ HS4-237.
It is thought 87 people belonged to the organisation and despite the Vichy Police breaking up the organisation. Six members escaped to Switzerland: Father Ciepio, Father Iskler, Lt. Peltyn, Cadet Officers Korodenski and Kalita and NCO Sobon. 36.8% managed to escape to Britain or Switzerland.


