Poles in the Wehrmacht

[StefanM]

Thanks Andrzejku!

Good information as usual

[andrzejku98]

Hi everyone,

I have checked through my records and I have found the following Plutowny's serving in 1st Armoured Division awarded the British Military Medal:

1) Plut. Wojciech Fec, awarded 1946

2) Plut. Tadeusz Ferber, awarded 1945

3) Plut. Leon Gacyk, awarded 1946

4) Plut. Wladyslaw Iwaszczuk, awarded 1946

5) Plut. Tomasz Lysakowski, awarded 1946

6) Plut. Jan Rozum, awarded 1946

7) Plut. Stefan Strzyzewski, awarded 1946

8) Plut. Jozef Terlecki, awarded 1946.

None of the above named Franciszek, but I did find the following:

9) St.Strz. Franciszek Ciezak, awarded 1946.

10) St.Sierz. Franciszek Lenczowski, awarded 1946.

11) Sierz. Franciszek Olden, awarded 1945.

12) Kapral. Franciszek Turowski, awarded 1946.

If I was a betting man, I would say that Numbers: 11 & 12 seem the best possibilities to me.

Anyway I hope that the above is of some assistance and if it is not the Military Medal Ribbon, please accept my apologies for wasting your time.

Best wishes

Andrzejku

[Kevin Grootaers]

Nice photo's.

[StefanM]

Hi All,

The photograph shows the Black epaulette denoting 1st Armoured Division, Plutowny (Lance Sergeant), the Medal Ribbons seem to be the British Military Medal, 1939-1945 Star, plus the France and Germany Star.

Best wishes

Andrzejku

I think you are spot on...attached ribbon set looks a match for those in the photo

[Gunny Hartmann]

Attachment 447050Attachment 447049Attachment 447051

I think you are spot on...attached ribbon set looks a match for those in the photo

Dead link mate!...

[StefanM]

Dead link mate!...

The forum image upload doesn't work that well on my iPad, I can't drag images from one window to another. But now sorted from my desktop Mac Pro

[HPL2008]

The photos do actually have captions on the reverse... can anyone help translate the handwriting?

Only the German one. It says:

"Hagen, den 4. IV. 41
Meiner lieben Mutter
zum Andenken
Franz.
44 Hindenburg [...]"

...i.e.:

"Hagen, 4 Apr. 41
To my dear mother
as a memory
Franz.
44 Hindenburg [...]"

(In this context, "Hindenburg" probably refers to Zabrze, whose German name this is.)

[StefanM]

Only the German one. It says:

"Hagen, den 4. IV. 41
Meiner lieben Mutter
zum Andenken
Franz.
44 Hindenburg [...]"

...i.e.:

"Hagen, 4 Apr. 41
To my dear mother
as a memory
Franz.
44 Hindenburg [...]"

(In this context, "Hindenburg" probably refers to Zabrze, whose German name this is.)

Many thanks HPL2008, very helpful translation

[dastier]

Hi All,

The photograph shows the Black epaulette denoting 1st Armoured Division...
Best wishes

Andrzejku

I had thought about the epaulette and lanyard denoting the 1st Polish Armoured Division but wondered why no insignia on the left arm.

[StefanM]

I had thought about the epaulette and lanyard denoting the 1st Polish Armoured Division but wondered why no insignia on the left arm.

Good point. I did initially think the reason might be the date of the photo being 22 June 1946 and the Polish Resettlement Corps.

I believe that the PRC agreement allowed for the formation of a quasi-military structure in which Polish uniforms could still be worn with rank insignia, Eagle cap badge but not the formal unit insignia in order that the PRC could not be seen as a continuing military force of the de-recognised Polish government-in-exile or a "mercenary" army of the British as described by the Soviets and the then recognised Polish communist government in Warsaw.

BUT I don't think recruitmentment to PRC began until September 1946 although formation of the PRC was announced in May that year.