Books

[Reynard]

Thanks Tony, now I can put a face to the name and signiature of General Kukiel. He was in my grandfather's chain of command, I believe.

Just a small contribution here, I do know I have more lurking.

Firstly a couple of books on Monte Cassino. The one on the left is in Polish, published in 1945. Alas it's only volume 1 - have no idea whether a) there were any other volumes published subsequently or b) if there were, whether I have them in my possession. Many of the illustrations in there are by Stanislaw Gliwa. The book on the right is a UK publication from 1957. Both are first editions.




Next are a trio of wartime booklets and pamphlets. One on the left is the soldier's prayerbook (published London 15th May 1942), which Marcin has already posted. It's pocket-sized, perfect for slipping into the breast pocket of a battledress. The middle is a pamphlet from 1945 and talks a lot about the NKVD and on the right is an account of the September Campaign published in 1941.



I love books, so this thread is right up my street.

[ze-pole]

Hello,
Here is the picture of a book for the 10th PSK of 1rst PAD.
Picture foud on Internet.
ZP

[A.J. Zawadzki]

The latest acquisition for my WW2 Polish general’s wartime memoirs signed first editions. Najkrótsza Droga (The Shortest Road) by General Stanisław Sosabowski, published in 1957. The great general dedicated this copy to Captain W. Kurkowski.

There’s a portrait of Captain Kurkowski on the page backing the general’s portrait.

I can’t quite decipher the entire dedication, and in one instance am making a guess:

Kpt. W. Kurkowskiemu (to Captain W. Kurkowski)

żołnierzem ? brygady (soldier of the brigade)

na pamiątkę (as a souvenir)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - ?

London (month?) 1957 Sosabowski, gen(eral)

I’d be grateful for the input of anyone able to decipher the handwriting.

Also posted below is an excerpt from a bio taken off the web.

Regards,
Tony

[ze-pole]

All simply Great !
ZP

[Krakow1]

Zolnierzowi Brygady,
Na pamiatke
ten portret kresle
Londyn, grudzien 1957.

Soldier of Brigade in remembrance I sketch this portrait. London, December 1957.

[Krakow1]

Also the rank of W. Kurkowski is Corporal not Captain. There is no W. Kurkowski in the "Materialy, Zeszyt 9" listed as Captain, instead there is Wladyslaw Kurkowski, badge # 4888, also known as Wladyslaw Kulisz, private at the time. The writing is hard to make out, but it is "Kpr" not Kpt.

[A.J. Zawadzki]

Hi Itakdalej,

Many thanks for the rank clarification (I hadn't yet gotten around to checking for his entry in my copy of Materialy), and for the time and effort to take a stab at deciphering it

Cheers,
Tony

[StefanM]

A couple of recent purchases/reads to recommend



Wings over Poland: The Story of the 7th (Kosciuszko) Squadron of the Polish Air Service, 1919, 1920, 1921 by Kenneth Malcolm Murray (January 1, 1932) published by D. Appleton & Co. A ripping "Boys Own" style account by one of the original Kosciuszko Squadron pilots in the war between Soviet Russia and Poland... full of deadly encounters, close escapes and stunning victories by the dashing American (oh, and a few Polish) airmen over the marauding Bolos ... totally brilliant stuff! Does anyone know if this book originally had a dustjacket and might have a scan of it to post?




Faunt-le-Roy i jego eskadra w Polsce : dzieje Eskadry Kościuszki by Merian C. Cooper. Published by Harrison & Co., Chicago, 1922. A very rare book by Merian C. Cooper the C.O. of Kosciuszko Squadron and published shortly after the end of the Poilsh-Soviet War...in Polish. Never translated into English...maybe a future project




L for Lucy by Flight-Lieutenant Herbert (Janusz Meissner) Publisher: Skladnica Ksiegarska, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1945. A gripping period story of the crew of a Polish Bomber stationed in England. Illustrated with some fine scraperboard(?) illustrations.

Also written slightly earlier another great tale of Polish airmen by Janusz Meissner under his pen-name Flight-Lieutenant Herbert is G - for Genevieve Publisher: New York, Roy Publishers [1944]

[Piwo2]

Here is a photo of all 3 books from that series obverse and reverse

Cheers,
Piwo

[StefanM]

Here is a photo of all 3 books from that series obverse and reverse

Is this the reprinted paperback edition?