Grandfather's 2 Korpus/Polish Resistance Photos & Insignia

[odrozd]

Thank you Konrad, Burlish Crossing is in my hometown, but there is not much information available about it being a resettlement camp, there is a local Polish Ex-combatants Association, I shall approach them for information.

Kind regards,
Ollie.

[conrado]

Hello Mike,

Regarding my post nr #7 another detail that clearly indicates that your Grandfather served in the Brygada Świętokrzyska NSZ.

Pay your attention to soldiers' headgears (blue circles):



On the headgears visible characteristic Polish white and red flags as worn by soldiers of the BŚ NSZ.



A group of soldiers from the BŚ NSZ


And regarding your Grandfather's affiliation to 2nd Corps below is example of the soldier who served in the BŚ NSZ and then enlisted to the 2nd Corps:



Kpr. later por. Jan Knychała aka "Węgier" (1924-2015), a member of the unit of kpt. Władysław Kołaciński "Żbik", went through her entire battle trail and participated in the liberation of women's camp in Holiszowo. Later he reached the Army of General Anders and became a soldier of the 2nd Polish Corps. He returned to Poland in 1946.


Regards
Konrad

[mikef135]

Konrad & Ollie,

Thank you both for your responses. Ollie, I'm sure you will be able to find more information about your grandfather. I believe on that website with the PRC map, the names of the units are on there too - could be a good starting point. If you find the name of the unit there may be a list of names. I'm not sure where the website is but it does exist - maybe another forum member can't point you in the right direction. Also if you go on Facebook there are two groups where you may find help:

1.) WW2 - 2 KORPUS POLSKI
2.) A private group you may have to access via the first called "Polish Resettlement Corps UK"

Konrad, than you so much for such a detailed description. What you have found plus this photo below I found of a book on the Amazon website all but conforms it


It is very interesting about the other members Jan Knychała aka "Węgier" & kpt. Władysław Kołaciński "Żbik" - I will look in to them. Surname sounds similar to my grandfather's although that is probably my English ignorance.

As for the search you previously performed. I did find out that he was born in Stettin (now Szczecin), do you think that could make a difference? His parents were named Mateusz & Marja (formerly Dobrucka). Srem I believe is near Poznan, and prior to finding out he was born in Stettin I found a website with a population registry of poznan (e-kartoteka). Marja Kolasinska (Dobrucka), Mateuz and Henryk do appear in this list. No appearance of Edward, but multiple for Edmund. Each of the names appear multiple times on the list I believe but I cannot read the writing on the registration cards - would you kindly have a look?

I understand he had a brother Henryk based on this photo in my album (I can't read the writing on the back again).




He did have other siblings as well, I believe they were Aleksandra and Zofia - not sure if I spelt there names correctly.

Maybe some light on this information will help me to find out what his path in Poland & with the NSZ was.

Thanks for all your help,

Mike

[conrado]

Hello Mike,

Here is the registration card you asked for:



City of birth is "Perecinie", I think it means Perecin, but I did not find such a city in Poland...
"Szmiralski" and "Sobkowiak" are the surnames of the persons they lived with.

You can translate the column headers in the table by yourself.


And translation from the back of the picture:

"6.VII.48, Na pamiątkę ofiaruję swoją podobiznę mojemu kochanemu Braciszkowi Edwardowi, Henryk"

"6.VII.48, As a souvenir I give my image to my beloved little Brother Edward, Henryk"

If you have any other questions feel free to ask.


Regards
Konrad

PS It's unbelievable that this picture with your Grandfather is on the cover of the book. Actually the search engine finds this book immediately by typing "Brygada Świętokrzyska". Somehow I didn't notice it. You should purchase this book you have found on the Amazon, it is possible that this picture is described there.

In your first post in this thread you mentioned that he was born in Śrem, not Szczecin...

[mikef135]

Hi Konrad,

Thank you for taking a look. That card makes sense because my mum told me years back that his dad was a shoemaker. Another relative of mine has visited his parent's graves in Poland - they were executed by the Germans. Begs the question as to why someone would be part of the BS-NSZ having had that happen to their family. But maybe there is more to it.

Thank you for translating the writing on the photo aslo.

I have even more questions since writing this thread, I will go and have a think if that is okay.

r.e Srem: We know he lived there, I had just assumed he was born there. I took a look at my heritage, there is information on my grandmother Irene Kay (the name changed from Kolasinski to Kay after he left the Polish Resettlement Corps), and there is information about him on that website attached to my grandmother (birthplace & parents).

I will of course look in to that book, it is available $24.99 - I will maybe ask one of my friends if I can send it to them to translate.

[conrado]

Mike,

Regarding your great grandfather Mateusz Kolasiński town of birth - "Perecinie", Perecin, the only thing I was able to find is a small town in Ukraine called Pereczyn. It is in the Transcarpathian region, at the mouth of the Turia River to the River Uż, seat of the Pereczyński district.

Regards
Konrad

PS The question of why someone would be part of the BŚ NSZ if it having had that happen to their family. Well, I think this question has no clear answer because then the times were ambiguous... You can't look at it so literally.

I will try to find out if the picture on the cover of this book is described in it and I will let you know.