Virtuti Militari Thread

[andrzejku98]

MARYNARZ,

Congratulations on your acquistion, do you have the rest of his medal group

Best wishes

Andrzej

[A.J. Zawadzki]

All good and valid points, especially:

. . . Remember, still we learn a history of Virtuti Militari.

What concerns me about this cross is that if it is a legitimate replacement copy then why was the sloppy serial numbering of the government issue KiM crosses so carefully replicated? Surely the maker of the wtornik would have been inclined towards stamping or engraving his customer’s award number neatly, no? Neat numbering seems quite typical on replacement crosses where the owner wished to have the number added.

Copying the font and characteristic misalignment of the numbers strikes me as intent to deceive. Maybe I’m just suffering from ‘collector’s paranoia’, a chronic condition that for me seems to be worsening with time.

As mentioned yesterday, I’ll strive to post asap the comparison pics created from back when this cross was listed on Allegro.

. . . Please look on this photos and tell me who produced this prewar VM 5th class (ribbon is from PRL). One guy told me "this is Zygmaniak from Poznan".

I’ll take a stab that it’s not pre-war, but rather an earlier Panasiuk post war product.

Cheers,
Tony

[A.J. Zawadzki]

I forgot show you my new VM with a documents. This is a best position in my collection.

In a word, Awesome! No doubt, a cornerstone grouping of any serious collection. Nice early PSZ legitymacja. What can you tell us about this officer?

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,
Tony

[jaxmon]

Just compare reverses of Wojtek's cross and KiM cross (second version). There are significant differences in inscription "Honor i Ojczyzna":

[A.J. Zawadzki]

The promised pics, to add to Jaxmon's post. I chose an image of a cross with the nearest serial number - 1887. Among the differences is the width of the cross arms where they meet the center disc.

Click on image to magnify:




Regards,
Tony

[andrzejku98]

Marynarz,

I have been able to glean the following information on Pplk.dypl.Kazimierz STAFIEJ which I thought you might like to see:

Rocznik Oficerski 1923 list's the following for Kazimierz Stafiej : Porucznik (Lieutenant) 243 in seniority of 1st June 1919 serving with 7 Pulk Artylerji Polowej, VM5, KW.

Rocznik Ofierski 1924 list's the following for Kazimierz Stafiej Kapitan (Captain) 148 in seniority 15th August 1924, serving with 7PAP VM5, KW.

Rocznik Ofierski 1928 list's the following for Kazimierz Stafiej Born: 20th November 1899 Kapitan 7PAP VM5, KW, attending the Military School in Warsaw.

Rocznik Oficerski 1932 list's the following for Kazimierz Stafiej : Major dypl. attached to Sztab Glwony 14th in seniority Major 1st January 1932 now listed as having VM5, KW2.

1939 he escaped and made his way to France in 1940 serving under command of Plk dypl. Stefan Brzeszczynski (another Gold Cross VM Recipient Numbered 22) in 1 "Wilenski" PAL in command of the 2nd Dvisiion.

After the fall of France he made his way to the UK and was later sent out to join the 3rd Carpathian Rifle Division in command of 3KPAL from 23rd May 1942 until he was wounded in action in the Apenine Mountains on the 6th November 1944.

He was awarded the Monte Cassino Cross when his details were as follows: Pulkownik (Colonel) dypl. Kazimierz Stafiej, Army Number : 1897-322-III, 3KPAL Monte Cassino Cross Numbered 1838.

For his part in the Italian Campaign the British awarded him the Order of the British Empire (Military Division) Grade: Officer.

After the end of the war he came and settled in the United Kingdom he married Sabina Z. ANTEZAK in St Neot's in Huntingdonshire in 1948 and died in Wilesden in Middlesex in March 1964 aged 67.

That is all that I was able to find for you Marynarz on Kazimierz Stafiej , I sincerely hope that it is of some use to you.

Best wishes

Andrzej

[wojtgda84]

Next cross. Beautiful T.S.

[jaxmon]

I compared Wojtek and Marynarz crosses. Appears that they were made by the same manufacturer.

[A.J. Zawadzki]

Simon, don't you mean to say that they were NOT made by the same manufacturer?

Regards,
T.

[LwowAK]

Fight, fight, fight! Oh wait, it's two Canadians. Will end with a "let's be friends, eh?" :-(