Monte Cassino cross

[andrzejku98]

Hello Artee,

Many thanks for your post, when awarded the Monte Cassino Cross his details were as follows:

Rank: Szer. (Private)

Surname: Łastowski

Christian Name: Adolf

Date of Birth: 1902

Army Number: 1902-16-III

Unit: 35 Kompania Warsztatowa (35th Workshop Company)

Monte Cassino Cross Numbered: 46994



September Campaign 1939

Adolf Łastowski was either a Regular or a Reservist and was captured by the soviets on the 18th September 1939 in Kostopol and after the german invasion of the soviet union he was released and made his way to Tatiszczewo where he rejoined the Polish Army.

That is all that I was able to find for you Artee.

Best wishes

Andrzej

[artee1986]

Hello Artee,

Many thanks for your post, when awarded the Monte Cassino Cross his details were as follows:

Rank: Szer. (Private)

Surname: Łastowski

Christian Name: Adolf

Date of Birth: 1902

Army Number: 1902-16-III

Unit: 35 Kompania Warsztatowa (35th Workshop Company)

Monte Cassino Cross Numbered: 46994


September Campaign 1939

Adolf Łastowski was either a Regular or a Reservist and was captured by the soviets on the 18th September 1939 in Kostopol and after the german invasion of the soviet union he was released and made his way to Tatiszczewo where he rejoined the Polish Army.

That is all that I was able to find for you Artee.

Best wishes

Andrzej

Hello Andrzej,

Thank you so much!

I have Adolf's picture, will post it later today.

[artee1986]

Hi all,

Adolf Lastowski:



As I understand this is he during military service for a regular term in 1923-1925. But I can't identify his rank, private?

If to speak about the unit Adolf Lastowski served in during Italian campaign - 35th Workshop Company - what division was this company in? Or this was an independent company? If so what shoulder sleeve insignia they had?

[andrzejku98]

Hello Artee,

Many thanks for your post, the 35 Kompania Warsztatowa was part of the 2nd Corps Units so they would have worn the red 2nd Corps badge on their sleeve.

Best wishes

Andrzej

[andrzejku98]

Hello Everyone,

Another Monte Cassino Cross for Sale on Allegro.pl



Monte Cassino Cross obverse



Monte Cassino Cross reverse numbered: 42468

When awarded the recipients details were as follows:

Rank: Sierz. (Sergeant)

Surname: Szpakowski

Christian Name: Aleksander

Date of Birth: 19th August 1898

Army Number: 1898-67-III

Unit: 1 Szpital Wojenny (1st Military Hospital)

Monte Cassino Cross numbered: 42468

Aleksander Szpakowski survived the war in Europe and came to the UK and after being demobbed from the Polish Resettlement Corps he settled down to civilian life in a foreign land, Aleksander died in Brighton, East Sussex on the 4th December 1987.

Best wishes

Andrzej

[andrzejku98]

Hello Everyone,

Whilst surfing this morning I came across the following Monte Cassino Cross:



Monte Cassino Cross reverse numbered: 40429

When awarded the recipients details were as follows:

Rank: St.Strz. (Lance Corporal)

Surname: Cegielnik

Christian Name: Marceli

Date of Birth: 11th November 1901

Army Number: 1901-75-III

Unit: Dowództwo Wojsk łączności 2 Korpusu (Communications Command 2nd Corps)

Monte Cassino Cross Numbered: 40429

Marceli Cegielnik died in Paddington, London in 1972.

Best wishes

Andrzej

[conrado]

Hello artee1986,

Regarding to szer. Adolf Łastowski, his rank on the pre-war photo you posted is szeregowy (Private). There is cleary visible on his collar an Emblem of the Non-Commissioned Infantry School, Second Polish Republic used in the years 1918-1939. The emblem is pinned in a horizontal possiton.



There is I think one number on the shoulder pad, maybe "3", indicates the number of regiment he served in.

Regards
Konrad

[andrzejku98]

Hello Everyone,

Another Face of a recipient of the Monte Cassino Cross:



St. Sap. Stanisław Dudka

When awarded the Monte Cassino Cross his details were as follows:

Rank: Sap.

Surname: Dudka

Christian Name: Stanisław

Date of Birth: 14th March 1923

Army Number: 1923-74-III

Unit: DS5KDP (Divisional Engineers of the 5th Kresowa Infantry Division)

Monte Cassino Cross numbered: 25337

Also for his bravery at Monte Cassino he was awarded the Silver Cross Virtuti Militari numbered: 8665

Stanisław Dudka survived the war in Europe and came to the UK with his Battalion and then selected to go back to Poland where he died on the 15th January 1997.

Best wishes

Andrzej

p.s. Notice in the photograph he is wearing the full sized medals of the Virtuti Militari and the Monte Cassino Cross but the miniature medals of the British 1939-1945 Star & the Italy Star.

[andrzejku98]

Hello Everyone,

I came across the following Monte Cassino Cross, which is currently on display in a group that does not belong to the recipient:



Monte Cassino Cross reverse numbered: 15482

When awarded the recipients details were as follows:

Rank: Kapitan (Captain)

Surname: Makar

Christian Name: Józef

Date of Birth: 2nd March 1911

Fathers Name: Kazimierz

Army Number: 1911-256-III

Unit: 13BS (13th Rifle Battalion), 5KDP

Monte Cassino Cross numbered: 15482

The Cross is included in the group of medals belonging to Chorąży Ignacy Michta has shown below:




Kapitan Józef Makar pre 1939 was a Porucznik serving with the 63PP in which he commanded a Platoon in the 3rd Company of the 1st Battalion.



Kpt. Józef Makar arrives in Southampton 30th September 1946 from Naples onboard the SS Andes

Less than a year later he left the UK bound for Argentina



21st August 1947 bound for Buenos Aires onboard the SS Cordoba.

Nothing else is known about Józef Makar or how his Monte Cassino Cross ended up with someone else.

Best wishes

Andrzej

[andrzejku98]

Helo Everyone,

I came across he following whilst surfing the other day:



Franciszek Kureczko

When awarded the Monte Cassino Cross his details were as follows:

Rank: Kan. (Artilleryman)

Surname: Kureczko

Christian Name: Franciszek

Date of Birth: 13th August 1921

Army Number: 1921-345-III

Unit: 5PAPpanc. (5th Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment)

Monte Cassino Cross numbered: 22274

He survived the war in Europe and came to the UK with his Regiment and after being demobbed settled down to civilian life in a foreign land, Franciszek Kureczko died on the 12th October 1976 in Rushdon, Northamptonshire he was buried on the 18th October 1976 aged 55.



Ludwik Leśniański

When awarded the Monte Cassino Cross his details were as follows:

Rank: Strz. (Rifleman)

Surname: Leśniański

Christian Name: Ludwik

Date of Birth: 4th February 1920

Army Number: 1920-68-III

Unit: 16BS (16th Rifle Battalion) 5KDP.

Monte Cassino Cross numbered: 18119



Strz. Ludwik Leśniański right of picture cleaning his Thompson Sub Machine Gun.



Monte Cassino Cross Legitymacja awarded to Strz. Ludwik Leśniański

He also survived the war in Europe and came to the UK with his Battalion and after being demobbed settled down to civilian life in a foreign land, Ludwik Leśniański died in Leeds on the 3rd July 1973.



Plut. Władysław Walaszczyk

When awarded the Monte Cassino Cross his details were as follows:

Rank: Plut. (Lance Sergeant)

Surname: Walaszczyk

Christian Name: Władysław

Date of Birth: 5th December 1909

Fathers Name: Jan

Army Number: 1909-38-III

Unit: 1BSK (1st Carpathian Rifle Battalion) 3DSK

Monte Cassino Cross Numbered: 13871



Monte Cassino Cross Legitymacja numbered: 13871



Monte Cassino Cross reverse numbered: 13871



Plut. Władysław Walaszczyk's awards etc.

Władysław Walaszczyk died in 1987.



Wachm. Aleksander Nietubyć photographed in Bologna on the 3rd May 1945.

When awarded the Monte Cassino Cross his details were as follows:

Rank: Wachm.

Surname: Nietubyć

Christian Name: Aleksander

Date of Birth: 3rd May 1902

Father: Kazimierz

Place of Birth: Suwałki

Army Number: 1902-7-III

Unit: Oddział Pocztowy 2 Korpusu (2nd Corps Postal Depatment)

Prior to the 2nd World War, during WW1 he joined the POW in Bakałarzewo, he also fought during the Polish-Soviet war of 1918-1921 serving in the unit commanded by Kapitan Dąbrowski, in 1921 he was released from service. But in 1923 he was again called up and served in the 3rd Light Horse Regiment, in 1924 he was once more released from service and joined the Reserves.

In June 1924 he started working at the Post Office in Druskininkai, in 1926 he became the head of the Post Office in Raduń, and from 1931 in Smorgoń in the Oszmiański district.

For his service with the POW (Polish Military Organization) he was awarded both the Cross of Independence and the Cross of Valour, although he was a reservist because of his job he was not called up during the September 1939 Campaign.

After the Soviet invasion on the 17th September 1939, he was arrested on the 9th October 1939 and until the 20th June 1940 held in the prison in Oszmiana, and then until the 31st May 1941 in the prison in Vitebsk. He was sentenced to 8 years in correctional camps and sent to the Buchta camp, Nakhodka and Vladivostok. On the 26th September 1941, he was released on the basis of an amnesty announced after the conclusion of the Sikorski-Mayski Agreement.

He survived the end of the war in Europe and came to the UK with his unit and emigrated to the USA, where he settled down to civilian life in Florida he died on the 18th April 1975 in Florida.

I know that I previously posted the photograph of Aleksander, but having come across this additional information I thought he deserved a new post.

Best wishes

Andrzej