Wieslaw RACZKOWSKI Service Number 22364 (information needed)

[Jack Czechowski]

Hello Andrzej,

thank you very much, I will write to the Polish Army Records Centre at Rembertów!

Best Regards

Jack

[Pieter1942]

With the permission of Jack i am able- and at the same time very delighted to update this topic for Wieslaw . In this way it is possible to know as much as possible to this brave man and his brothers and family. In this way it is also possible for Jack, to bring thankfulness to all who already helped, and will help in the future, to make a complete as possible view to this people.

3 brothers as young boys in Poland - from left: Stan, Wiesław, Mariusz. Two of them already in Cadet Corp uniforms.



The grave as it was just after the war




Left is Emilian Raczkowski's Military Cross for Polish-Soviet war 1920; at right Wiesław's Virtuti Militari



Stan (the oldest brother) in 305. RAF Squad uniform



Letter to his father

10th Dragoons Regiment
In place, 16th February 1945

Captain Emilian RACZKOWSKI
4 Magdala Crescent
EDINBURGH


On the 16th September 1944 the Late Dragoon Wiesław RACZKOWSKI, together with his squadron, crossed the Axel-Hulst Canal near the town of Dubosch. On the next day, whilst retreating, Dragoon RACZKOWSKI was severely wounded during the passage of the Canal and he did not manage to reach the opposite bank. His body was recovered on the 18th September 1944 and buried near Dubosch-Zeeland. A cross with his name was placed to mark the grave.
The Commander in Chief awarded Dragoon Wiesław RACZKOWSKI a Military Cross of the Order of Valour in recognition of his extreme bravery in action leading to the 15th August 1944. – Based on Daily Order of the 10th Dragoons Regiment No 168/44, dated 27th August 1944, point 1b.
The President of the Polish Republic in his ordinance dated 7th December 1944, posthumously awarded the Late Dragoon Wiesław RACZKOWSKI with a Cross “Virtuti Militari” V class in recognition of his bravery in action and his personal valour. – Based on Daily Order of the 10th Dragoons Regiment No 220/44, dated 18th December 1944, point 1/a. –
The Late Dragoon Wiesław RACZKOWSKI could never receive the decorations as he was by then deceased.
Adjutant of the 10th Dragoons Regiment
Signed
/KIETLIŃSKI/
Rotmistrz (Captain)

OPINION OF THE SQUADRON LEADER
When the Late Dragoon Wiesław RACZKOWSKI had arrived in the Regiment he was difficult to control and fund it hard to deal with the life of the garrison. There was a radical change in his attitude once the Regiment landed in France, where Late Dragoon Wiesław RACZKOWSKI became the best soldier and colleague, who looked after weaker comrades when they found it difficult to cope.
He volunteered for all difficult missions, patrols and excursions.
On the 16th September 1944, together with Platoon Commander ŁOCHOCKI and Senior Dragoon CYBULSKI, without specific order, they decided to attack an enemy stronghold 500 metres to the
North-West of DUBOSCH, on the flank of the place where their squadron was crossing the canal. They liquidated the enemy nest, killing 8 German soldiers, wounding others and taking 12 prisoners.
Leader of the 3rd Squadron
Signed
/J. Bielawski/
Lieutenant
I hereby confirm that Dragoon RACZKOWSKI Wiesław served his regiment well in the Field of Honour. His name, together with those of other killed soldiers, will be read out during regimental gatherings for all times.
Commander of the 10th Dragoons Regiment
Signed
/ZGORZELSKI/

[Pieter1942]

from: The Commemorative Book of the 1st Cadet Corps in Lwów

Raczkowski Wiesław, 1st Cadet Corps of Józef Piłsudski, in Lwów, 4k/39 (class 4 of 1939). Ensign (posthumously). After the campaign of September 1939 he escaped to France, where he continued his studies until he escaped to Great Britain before German victory. He passed his A-Levels in Polish secondary school in Scotland. In 1942 in Polish Armed Forces in the West. He was a soldier of the 65th Tanks Battalion, which subsequently formed part of the 1st Armoured Division under General Stanisław Maczek. He served in the 10th Dragoons Regiment, throughout the regiment’s combat trail from Normandy to the Netherlands. Killed in action on the 17th September 1944 on the Axel-Hulst Canal.

[Pieter1942]

An overview of Brothers and father and mother;

Father:
Emilian Raczkowski
born: 21.02.1896
died: 17.09.1954 Edinburgh

soldier of the 1st Brigade of Polish Legions 1914-1917
soldier of the Polish Soviet war 1920
Captain in the Polish Army during IIWW
never returned to Poland after the IIWW, died in G.Britan
Military Cross of the Order of Valour.

Mother:
Zofia Raczkowska
born: ? Nadwórna, western Galicia, now Ukraine
died: 1991, Lublin, Poland

soldier of the Home Army 1940-1945, nom de guerre “Zo”
A Military Cross of the Home Army

Brothers:

Zdzisław Stanisław “Stan” Raczkowski-Bartkiewicz
born: 13.07.1922, Lublin, Poland

1st Cadet Corps of Józef Piłsudski, in Lwów, 6k/39
during escape from Poland after German invasion in 1939 to France via Hungary, captured by NKWD (Soviets), in NKWD prison in Kiev for 10 monts (1940), sentenced to 10 years of hard works in the Siberian labor camp (Ivdel), released in 1941, joined the Polish Army under general Władysław Anders, left USSR via Iran, joined RAF 305. Polish Bomber Squadron in England, F/Sgt, navigator, flying Mosquito bomber. A Military Cross of the Order of Valour (Polish), 2 x ML (British)
Lives in Spain with his family


Mariusz Raczkowski
born: 1926, Lublin, Poland
died: 22.07.1944

Soldier of the Home Army in occupied Poland, murdered by Germans in Lublin Castle prison, in mass execution of about 300 prisoners made by SS in the last days before the liberation of Lublin by the Red Army. The prisoners were shot with machine guns and their bodies burned in the courtyard.

[Pieter1942]

Last weekend; on the 12th of may, there was the ceremony for adopters on the cemetery of Adegem.
With proud, i can tell; that all the Polish war graves have been adopted.

I also had the honour to meet Jack; the cousin of Wieslaw! It was a very heartwarming feeling, along with emotional moments through the weekend...
On Saturday we did together the ceremony, and have a great time together. On Sunday we stept in the footsteps of Wieslaw and planned a visit to Axel..

I only can say that i have a very moving weekend, and their has been a friendship created for life .

I will place photographs below of this weekend;
we are also busy to compile a bundled version to Wieslaw, and also this will come on this topic.






















With Jack and the vice consul from the Polish embassy.




Now for the 'in the footsteps of Wieslaw' Part;

Axel Canal



Gdynia bridge (The buildings on the Original photograph are still there!)






Water tower- strategic German point, for the defend of the city and canal


The dubosch farm (like seen on the map- Dubosch this was not a village or some kind... but a Farm!)


I am going back for sure; to make clearer pictures, and point the story more and deeper.

Kind regards,
Pieter.

[andrzejku98]

Hello Pieter1942.

I would like to thank you for your post and for keeping the memory of these brave men alive, I hope you do not mind me rotating some of your photographs Pieter.











Best wishes Pieter

Andrzej

[A.J. Zawadzki]

Thank you for sharing this with us Pieter, and again for your most thoughtful gesture of adopting this soldier’s grave.

Regards,
Tony

[kosa]

Pieter, you are a star

Best regards,
Kosa

[Pieter1942]

Thank you gentlemen for your kind words; for me it is an honour to have this chance, and I will also do this with the necessary respect and warmth to keep the memory alive.

We also did a visit to the monument, that was raised along the canal, dedicated to the fallen soldiers who gave their lives alongside the canal.
The monument was made of pieces from the Original baileybridge; raised by Polish sappers over the canal in september 1944.









(Again, i awas not able to turn the pictures in the right direction, apologizes for that)

Here after, we also visit the city of Axel, where we found a monument for Kolonel Szydlowski (shame about the dirty hands that besmirch the monument ..); and the the last restplace for Polish soldiers, who gave their lives for the liberation, and around Axel (this is located on the city cemetery of Axel).

[andrzejku98]

Hello Pieter,

Many thanks for your post, no problem I have rotated your photographs for you, I sincerely hope you do not mind me doing this for you :









Best wishes

Andrzej