Monte Cassino Cross

[Fran]

My mother also has this firearm. It's French-made though, it's engraved "Manufacture d'Armes de St Etienne".

Were Polish troops issued French guns at some point? Maybe before France fell? Or during combined operations in Norway?

[Fran]

We also found this double-sided checklist, I guess it's a complete list of items he was issued.

Attachment 1382912

[conrado]

Hello Fran,

In answer to your question regarding your Grandfather's gun.



This is a regular revolver Saint Etienne Mle 1892 used by the French Army during both World Wars. Produced by Manufacture d'Armes de Saint Etienne (MAS). Double action weapon, shoots both from self-tensioning, as well as after previous manual pulling the tap. An interesting fact was its disadvantage which was the fact that the drum was swinged to the right (swinging to the left was the standard), which meant that when re-loading the weapon had to be moved to the left hand.

Production ended in 1924, however large quantities produced copies caused that the weapon was widely used also during World War II. The revolver was a side weapon of officers and some non-commissioned officers of Polish units formed in France during both World Wars. Mle 1892 was also called the Lebel revolver, MAS or St. Etienne 8mm.


Regards
Konrad

[Fran]

Nice one Konrad

after the war he got it serviced by a police officer friend of his, it's in working condition.

[conrado]

Fran,

Regarding your post #158.



This document shows that:

First of all - your Grandfather (probably after the war) was promoted to the rank of kpr. (Corporal). I looked through all available battle logs and chronicles of your Grandad's units but unfortunately I didn't find any mention of it.

Second - this document was issued on January 10, 1946 and sent to your Grandfather in France. So he was already in France and lived in the city of Béthisy-Saint-Pierre in the department of Oise.

In this document he was informed that he had been given British commemorative decorations based on the Daily Order of the Battalion no. 188/45 of December 23, 1945:

a/ The 1939-1945 Star
b/ Italy Star

In attached to this document he also received a questionnaire with a request to sign it and send it back to the 2nd Motorised Commando Battalion up to February 15, 1946.

So it is quite possible that your Grandfather did not return this questionnaire and therefore did not receive these medals.


Regards
Konrad

[Fran]

thank you Konrad

well my Aunt remembers her mother showing her his medals when she was a kid, so he definitely had them.

we also found this travel order allowing him to go from Nice in Southern France back to Oise in the North on leave in October 1945.

It says his rank is Corporal.



As for the beginning of the war, this document in French says that he enlisted in the Podhalański Rifle Battalion on 18 October 1939 at Coetquidan, in Brittany.

Interestingly enough, Coetquidan houses the prestigious French Academy School of Saint-Cyr.

It is near Brest, from where all available Polish Troops were evacuated to the UK when France fell.

It states that he was injured in Norway on 19 May 1940 and went to a hospital in Glasgow until October 1940. It also says that he was officially demobilised from the Podhalański Rifle Battalion on 21 May 1940.

[conrado]

Fran,

I have found one more photo of the Polish commandos on which I think your Grandfather is. Photo is unfortunately of poor quality.



It is signed as follows: Polish troop, 10(IA) Commando, are briefed before battle.
The place and time of taking the picture are unknown.

What do you think?


Regards
Konrad

[Fran]

thank you Konrad

I've shared it with my family, and we're doubtful. The weird angle makes it hard to be sure, and the low resolution doesn't help.

[conrado]

He once told my grandmother that he never cleaned his dagger, and that he had killed with it. The blood stains are still visible.

Hello Fran,


As I wrote in one of my previoust posts your Grandfather was injured during the action of his 1st Platoon on the Garigliano River in Italy on 18th of January 1944.

On 18th of January 1944 a patrol (a total of 8 soldiers) under the command of kpr. pchor. (Cadet Corporal) Stanisław Pałach from the 2nd Platoon made a trip towards the town of Coreno. Commandos blew up the German communication center, stabbed the staff and destroyed the mortar, killed the motorcyclist and took the prisoner (from Silesia in Poland).

In the fights on the Garigliano River, st. strz. (Lance Corporal) Zenon Kaszubski from the 1st Platton was the first Polish commando to use a dagger killing a German soldier. As it turned out, he was killed a Pole from Poznań conscripted into the German army. St. strz. Kaszubski came from Poznań as well.

St. strz. Zenon Kaszubski was awarded Cross of Valour by 3 times (Krzyż Walecznych x3).


Regards
Konrad

[conrado]

Fran,

I would like to show you photographs of your Grandfather's comrades from the 1st Platoon of the 1st Independent Commando Company which are available in the archives:



kpr. pchor. (Corporal Cadet later 2nd Lieutenant) Wacław Grek



st. strz. (Lance Corporal) Mieczysław Kolankowski



kpr. (Corporal) Jerzy Kotas



st. strz. (Lance Corporal) Franciszek Wośko


And one more photograph from the Commando action:



Photograph taken probably around the town of Oratino in June 1944. From the left: kpr. pchor. (Corporal Cadet later 2nd Lieutenant) Wacław Grek (1st Platoon), st. strz. (Lance Corporal) Icek Kejzman (2nd Platoon) and kpr. (Corporal) Konrad Brauliński (1st Platoon) who was killed in the attack on the town of Case Nouve on July 17, 1944.



Kpr. (Corporal) Konrad Brauliński's grave at the Polish War Cemetery in Loreto



Posthumously awarded decorations to kpr. (Corporal) Konrad Brauliński fallen under Case Nuove and a rifle bullet found in the place where he died


Regards
Konrad