Boleslaw Pietkiewicz - KW, KPMC

[Kangur]

I managed to recover from my great-grandfather deposit from Central Military Archive in Warsaw. In this deposit was two medals: Cross of Valour and Monte Cassino Cross.
Is there a possibility to find out for what he got a Cross of Valour?
My great-grandfather name was: Bolesław Pietkiewicz and he had sergeant rank.

This is photo of medals


This is foto of my great-grandfather

[andrzejku98]

Hello Kangur,

May I be the first to welcome you to the Forum, your Great Grandfather Sierzant Boleslaw Pietkiewicz, Born in 1911, His Army Number (also found on His ID Tags): 1911-226-III, Unit: 16th Rifle Battalion, 5KDP, Monte Cassino Cross Numbered: 18250.

The Best course of action to find out how he was awarded the Cross of Valour would be to write to the PISM (Polish Institute and General Sikorski Museum) in London their details can be found on the PISM website, they do charge for looking with no guarentee of finding any paperwork, but if they do they should be able to photocopy the documentation for you at a charge.

Unless any of the Forum Members is going down to the PISM and might offer to look through the files for you.

Let us know how you get on.

Best wishes

Andrzej

[A.J. Zawadzki]

Hello Kangur, and welcome. Thanks for your post. I am curious about your acquisition of your great-grandfather's crosses. So they had been deposited at Central Military Archive in Warsaw? I suppose by a family member? How did you hear about them? And did you clean them? Sorry for all the questions.

Regards,
Tony

[A.J. Zawadzki]

One thing I overlooked adding is that for more information about this particular Cross of Valour type please see post #12 of this thread:

Cross of Valour (Krzyz Walecznych) - Exile Types

T.

[andrzejku98]

Hello Kangur,

Your Great Great Grandfathers Name was Izydor, your Great Grandfather was born 25th September 1911 in Cudzeniszki.

That is all that I could find from the CAW site.

Best wishes

Andrzej

[Kangur]

Hi.
I forget say hello in my first post. Sorry.
I find information about my great-grandfather in CAW site too. Two years ago I spend all holidays on looking for information about him and I find two medals, two leather wallets, metal pocket watch, few his photos and a few postcards. I decided to drive to the CAW with my grandmother after talking with Jerzy Siwiński. She is goddaughter of Bolwsław. I know all information about his origin and birth but I don't know for what he was awarded Cross of Valour. I also know that before Monte Cassino he was soldier in polish army in 85th Infantry Regiment in interwar period.
How much I must pay for this information from PISM?
Thanks for replay and sorry for my bad english

[Kangur]

Hello.
I started to look for information about my great-grandfather when in grandmother family album i saw this photo:



He looks almost exactly like me so... this was the stimulus and inspiration to deepen knowledge about him
Regards

[A.J. Zawadzki]

Hi Kangur, no problem at all understanding your English. It's great that you are taking an interest in your family history. It’s a journey I’m sure you’ll find very rewarding. You may even want to assemble some of the missing items from your great granfather’s military service in the manner that one our members is presently doing here: POS badge

. . . How much I must pay for this information from PISM?

Please see here:
Researching a Polish Exile Combatant.

Do you know how your great-grandfather’s ended up in the 2nd Corps? Did he spend time in the Soviet Union as a prisoner of war, which was the story of many of the soldiers who served in General Anders’ army? You may find some of the best information by speaking with older generation relatives and family friends. Best wishes in your hunt for more information. And please keep us posted with your progress (which would best be done in it's own dedicated thread).

Regards,
Tony

[Kangur]

Hello.
He survived Monte Cassino but he KIA in Battle of Ancona and bled to death in a field hospital July 10, 1944. He's buried in Bari. Before this and before The September Campaign in 1939 in his youth, when he was 17 or 18 years old, he was small smuggler. Russians caught him and and sent to Siberia. I know this will seem unlikely but he escaped and joined the polish army and he fought in 1939. After the surrender of Polish he was taken prisoner by the Russians and put in a transport to the Katyn of whom also escaped. After hiding and amnesty for of Poles he joined to 2nd Polish Corps and he train in in the Middle East. Afterwards he fought in Italy where he died.
Thanks for replay,
Regards,
Grzegorz.

[Gary J]

Grzegorz,
I just checked the grave listings for the Poles in Italy, and Boleslaw Pietkiewicz is listed as resting in grave plot 371 at the Casamassima Cemetery.