69th Infantry Regiment - badges / insignia

[A.J. Zawadzki]

Welcome back David,

This is your father’s “railway pass” ID document that verified him as a recipient of the Virtuti Militari. It essentially states that he has been decorated with the VM by the government body organized for this purpose. Veterans decorated with Poland’s highest military order were granted several perks by the government, one of which was free rail travel. In 1933 it was decided that such a document was necessary as a form of identification for this purpose and others.

Do you have the matching cross, and perhaps the formal award diploma?

Regards,
Tony

[A.J. Zawadzki]

. . . to answer your earlier question about the decorations visible in on your grandfather’s uniform, there is the Virtuti Militari cross, what appears to be the Commemorative Medal for the War of 1918-1921, and lastly the 10 Years of Independence Medal 1918-1928.

Cheers,
Tony

[DVSobota]

Thanks Tony! I'm preparing a family history slide show so this info is really cool. My Dad just died 2 months ago. I wish I did this before he pasted away.

I will send the diploma from work. Is the 69th infantry regiment in the 3 Army? The diplomas said the 3rd Army awarded the medal. I found two docs on line. One said it was in the 5th. The other said it was in the 7th.

[jaxmon]

Above the opposite uniform pocket he wears commemorative badge of Wielkopolska Army.
The badge below medals resembles badge of 1st Heavy Artillery Regiment, located in Modlin, near Warsaw.

[DVSobota]

Thanks, he was in the 1st Heavy Artillery unit. Do you know what Army the 69th Infantry Regiment was attached to?

[DVSobota]

I can't attach the diploma. It's a pdf doc. I get the yellow exclamation symbol when I try.

[A.J. Zawadzki]

Hi David,

I’m sorry to hear of your father’s recent passing. My father passed away in 2011, and while we spent a lot of time in his later years talking about his wartime recollections the stark finality of death hit home when questions arose after he was gone. The questions and things I wish I could have few more moments to discuss with him have never stopped!

It’s great to hear about your family history presentation project. Sounds interesting. Your grandfather will hopefully figure prominently as being a recipient of the Virtuti Militari is no small achievement.

As far as the army group the 69th Infantry Regiment was part of, the original documents you have will obviously have the most reliable information. Periodic reorganization of the armed forces may well have seen the changes reflected in the web based information you found.

Cheers,
Tony

PS Szymon, thanks for the added info re the badges on the uniform.

- - ------- - -

I can't attach the diploma. It's a pdf doc. I get the yellow exclamation symbol when I try.

Covert to JPEG file and then post.

T.

[DVSobota]

[DVSobota]

Hey Tony,
I posted my granddad VM award diploma. Let me know if you can see it.
How you find a threat you're part of on here? I had to use the link in my email.

David

[DVSobota]

Thanks for you reply.

David