1st krechowiki Lancers

[ChrisWizz]

hello to everybody, I'm starting my visit here with a request for help.

I'm researching my grandads military history. He was polish and I was born and brought up in the uk.

I am applying for his service records but this may take a while.

I will firstly tell you what I know.

He was Kazimierz Jan Wierzbianski born 1914 and was made a officer in 1939
He was a 2nd lieutenant officer in the 1st krechowiki lancers (358/III) no 9898
He fought in the September campaign in 1939 and I have some copies of his military diary.

I still have his tunic. This has the 1st Krechowieki lancers badge and also the polish 2nd corps badge and the polish 2nd warszawski armoured division badge.

Medals or bars on his tunic point to

Cross of home army (2x?)
Cross of merit with crossed swords
Army medal for war
Cross of valour (2x possibly)
Polish war cross
39-45 service medal (uk issue)
France and Germany star (uk issue)

He died in 1998 with the rank of major

I'm wanting ideally to know what happened after the September campaign, the 1st Krechowieki appears to have served through Italy but france germany star would appear to contradict this??
Also I would love to find a photo of him, family rumor is that he was in charge of 5 Sherman tanks but that's all we know. Again this points to Italy but no Italy star.

One final point, after death his ashes were sent to Poland for a military funeral, I would love to find out about the grave or events from that day. Any links or groups would be great.

I hate to stride into a group wanting help but I really would appreciate any info/pictures you may have

Thank you

Christopher Wierzbianski

Ps, to see the tunic, search for Chris Wizz on flicker and it's in my medals album.

[ChrisWizz]

Link removed, sorry.

Flicker link

[StefanM]

Hello Chris and welcome to the forum!

Nice to see that you still have your grandfather's 1st krechowiki Lancers, 2PolCorps uniform etc still in the family and that you have an interest in finding out more

What I find very interesting is your reference to your grandfather having the "Krzyż Armii Krajowej" or Home Army Cross and the France and Germany Star together. Do you know when your grandfather escaped from PoW camp and made it to England? To receive the Home Army Cross one must have been a soldier of the Home Army (Armia Krajowa) or one of its predecessors such as Służba Zwycięstwu Polski (SZP), Związek Walki Zbrojnej (ZWZ) etc. and obviously he must have later served in France and Germany to be awarded the "Stars". I am assuming he transferred to 2PolCorps from Germany post-war.

Is the RAC cap badge in your Flickr gallery also related to your grandfather's war or post-war service?

Which reminds me of one of WRF "rules" about not using external links to images. If referenced images are deleted on an external site then the threads that include image links become meaningless. Could you please post the images (or some of them) from the Flickr gallery here in your thread.

[andrzejku98]

Hello Christopher,

May I be the first to welcome you to the forum, you might already know that Dr. Andrzej Suchcitz, Archivist of the Polish Institute and General Sikorski Museum in 2002 published the Regimental History from 1941 -1947 (ISBN: 0948202-99-8).

Podporucznik (2nd Lieutenant) Kazimierz Wierzbianski served with the Regiment from 1945-1947, during which time he was awarded the SKZzM (Silver Cross of Merit with Swords), during his service with the Regiment your Grandfather served in the 2nd Squadron.

The Regimental History also lists your Grandfather has a Podporucznik serving with the Regiment in the September Campaign 1939, for which he was awarded the Krzyz Walecznych (Cross of Valour) whilst serving in the 3rd Squadron.

Unfortunately that was all the information that I could glean for you.

I hope it helpsa little, some of the other members might be able to add some more information for you, It might also be an idea to write to the Polish Records Centre in Warsaw for copies of any records that they might have also.

Best wishes

Andrzej

[andrzejku98]

Hello Christopher.

After a search on the world wide web, I found the following information:

Kazimierz Wierzbianski born 1st June 1914, joined the Officer Cadet Corse in 1935 for basic training then transfered to Cavalry Officer Cadet Training at Grudziadz in 1936. Your Grandfather graduated on the 15th Octobber 1938 when promoted by Marshal of Poland Edward Rydz-Smigly, the attached photograph shows that moment:



When serving with the 1Pulk Ulanow he was Officer Commanding the 2nd Platoon of the 3rd Squadron.

Further research states that he was promoted to Rotmistz (Captain of Horse) shortly before he was transfered to the Polish Ressettlement Corps in 1947.

That all, I sincerely hope that it is of some use and help

Best wishes

Andrzej

[ChrisWizz]

Thank you ever so much.
Yes the tunic is help proudly by my family.
I apologise for the link, I will post correctly to this thread later when I'm on my lap top.( on iPhone now)

The flicker images also contain the medals from my other grandad who trained with the RAC then joined the 9th Manchester's and fought through Italy, sorry for the confusion.

I'm interested in the medals you mention as we only have a few surviving and of these I think he collected himself, my theory is he was trying to complete the set, something I will try and do on his behalf.

I was told by my dad that he was a pow but that is all we know, the details you have provided are very interesting. I have seen the photo of the officer award.

I have so many questions, so I will (if it's ok) ask them tonight and provide any more info I have.

It's a very exciting journey I'm starting and I'm very proud to have my grandads name.

Thank you all

[StefanM]

I wonder if the AK Cross connection might be for service in 1 Pułk Ułanów Krechowieckich AK?. In the Polish defensive campaign the 1 Krechowiecki Cavalry Regiment surrendered on 6 October 1939 and then acted as an underground AK unit in the role of a dismounted cavalry regiment operating in Sokólka county.

[andrzejku98]

Hello Christopher,

I just thought that you might like to see a few photographs from the 15th October 1938 at Grudziadz Graduation:



Review of troops by the Commander in Chief Marshal Edward Rydz Smigly.



Presentation of the Sword to the best cadet by Marshal Rydz Smigly



Marchpast by Cadets and troops



Best wishes

Andrzej

p.s. click the photos to open in a new page.

[ChrisWizz]

The photographs are fantastic, actually my dad always said my grandad graduated top of his class/group and received a sword which has long since been lost, sounds fanciful but who was that recipient? Does it say?

[ChrisWizz]

Im hoping the picture of the awarding the sabre is actually my Grandad.
Its hard to tell from the side.

Been talking to my dad today, not much more info discovered and what I have found out is family rumor and say so. My Gradma (english) was a very strong character and frankly my grandads family/history were ignored. Unfortunately this means even my dad knows very little about him or his service.

He would appear at some point to have been in Italy as he got a wristwatch from there so he said of some quality. He was also quite dark skinned and taned easily, maybe spent some time there? He was a POW but where (maybe Italy?) and when he escaped we dont know, he did have a small picture carved from wood given to him from a fellow POW for good luck, this survived the war but my Grandma got rid of it, much to my dads annoyance. How he got back to his own lines we may never know.

My dad also said he had told him he was the top recruit and was awarded a sabre (hopfully in a collection somewhere) he said one of the tasks undertaken as students was to ride cross country with a coin held under each knee against the horse, this was not to be dropped, I also understand he broke in horses in for the unit.

Now at 39 I am now full of reget that as a young man i didnt get to know him better, my Grandma would never let him speak and when he did the accent was so strong it made things difficult to understand, still thats no excuse, but he was a very good artist, Im a artist too and I know this always made him proud.

Thats all I can think of at the moment, but if antone can help a little more. I will be forever greatful.



Im now on my lap top so will upload some photos, some of the tunic and I have one portrait of him.







Sorry this picture is behind glass