ALARMED Duns residents thought they were being invaded when armoured tanks rolled into town in 1942 during the Second World War.
They were heartily relieved to find the foreign soldiers were Poles who had come to help the British war effort.
During the war over 50,000 Polish troops were stationed in Scotland, many of them in Berwickshire. It is more than 60 years ago but ther
e are still memories of the Christmas parties given by the Polish soldiers for the children.
They also gave concerts and talks, danced with the local girls and even married some of them.
After the war when Poland went behind the Iron Curtain many of the soldiers came back to settle in the Berwickshire communities which had given them such a warm welcome.
Two of the best known Polish/Scottish citizens were Colonel Wladislaw and Mrs Leokadia Hyrneczko, affectionately known as Vadek and Loda, who were resident in Duns for over 50 years until Loda died in 2001, followed by Vadek in 2003.
Tragically their only child was lost during the war but despite their heartache they contributed much to the local community.
Now as a tribute to the couple the Duns and District Twinning Assocation with Zagan in Poland has produced a booklet in their memory which celebrates the contribution of Polish soldiers to Berwickshire during and after the Second World War.
Compiled by Brigid McEwen, Polish Soldiers in the Borders, is a fascinating account of their war effort and how friendships have been kept up over the years.
It points out that there have long been links between Poland and Scotland - so much so that in the 17th century one third of the Baltic port of Gdansk was of Scottish blood.
Also of interest is the fact that Bonnie Prince Charlie's grandmother was Polish - Clementina Sobieska, granddaughter of King Jan Sobieski who routed the Turkish forces at the gates of Vienna in 1683.
When Germany invaded Poland in 1939, Great Britain declared war and Polish and British soliders, sailors and airmen fought side by side.
The Poles appreciated the friendship extended to them when they were stationed in Berwickshire and presented a plaque which still hangs on the county buildings in Duns.
It was unveiled by the Earl of Home who said: "It is a gift which we in our time will greatly honour as a token of your friendship and alliance in our common cause and future generations will look up to it in grateful memory of the strong links which bound togethger the hearts of the Polish soldiers and the Scottish Borders people in their united struggle for freedom."
Many in the area were saddened at the end of the war when Poland was allowed by the Allies to fall into Stalin's hands.
It was not until 1989 that Poland regained her freedom and old contacts could be revived.
The booklet goes on to detail the links between Duns and Zagan including a visit by Duns Football Club to Zagan in 1997 when the visitors caused a stir in their kilts - one old man fell off his bicycle because he was unable to take his eyes off them!
In September 2002, a very special visit was paid to Zagan when Vadek, Mrs Sheila Romanes and Councillor John Elliot travelled over. For the first time in its 800 year history the freedom of the town was to be conferred on an individual - Vadek. For him it was a fitting final visit and sadly it was also Sheila's.
A former teacher at Berwickshire High School the whole town and area around Duns was saddened when she died in 2004.
She was one of the leading lights in the move to twin with Zagan as, when the Iron Curtain fell, the colours and traditions of the Polish regiments stationed in Duns during the war were transferred back to Zagan.
Now the two towns are in constant touch with each other and more exchanges and visits are in the pipeline.
The Association is also a contact point for Poles coming into the area.
