Monte Cassino cross

[andrzejku98]

Hello Everyone,

I came across the following whilst surfing the other day:



Monte Cassino Cross and Legitymacja obverse



Monte Cassino Cross obverse and Legitymacja reverse numbered: 10101



Monte Cassino Cross and Legitymacja reverse numbered: 10101

When awarded the Recipients details were as follows:

Rank: Kapral

Surname: Pawlik

Christian Name: Jerzy

Date of Birth: 19th February 1915

Fathers Name: Jan

Place of Birth: Warszawa

Army Number: 1915-13-III

Unit: 3KPAPpanc. (3rd Carpathian Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment)

Monte Cassino Cross numbered: 10101

He survived the war in Europe and had been promoted to Plut. (Lance Sergeant)



Strz. Ryszard Ludwik Szkubacz.

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

Rank: Kapral sp.

Surname: Szkubacz

Christian Name: Ryszard Ludwik

Date of Birth: 8th January 1916

Fathers Name: Jan

Place of Birth: Zabrze

Army Number: 1916-31-III

Unit: 2BSK

Monte Cassino Cross Numbered: 1040

He had already fought in the Libyan Campaign 1941-42 where he was awarded the Cross of Valour (KW), he was wounded in Tobruk and spent from the 26th September to the 24th October in the Hospital in Tobruk.

He later on rejoined his Battalion, after the Division was moved to Italy he was deployed on the 12th May 1944 to Hill 593 and when his Battalion attacked the german positions he was killed in action.



Kapral Ryszard Ludwik Szkubacz grave at Monte Cassino

in August 1939 he was called up and joined the 2nd Company of the 75th Infantry Regiment and after fighting crossed the Border into Hungary and then made his way through Greece to Beirut.

For his service during the war he was awarded the following Polish and British Awards:

Polish

(1) Cross of Valour (KW)

(2) Army Medal (MW)

(3) Monte Cassino Cross (KPMC)

British

(4) 1939-1945 Star

(5) Africa Star

(6) Italy Star

(7) 1939-1945 Defence Medal

(8) 1939-1945 War Medal

Best wishes

Andrzej

[artee1986]

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

Hi Andrzej,

Thanks. I wonder why some units in 2nd Corps have their own badges (like 3 DSK, 5 KDP, or Commandos) and others are not, what did it depend on...

[artee1986]

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

Hello Konrad,

Thanks for sharing this info. My friend has found Adolf Lastowski in "Spod Monte Cassino na Sybir" book and it says that he served in Polish Army in 1923-1925.

[andrzejku98]

Hello Artee,

Many thanks for your post, if you can get your hands on a copy of "The Allied Forces in Italy 1943-45 by the late Guido Rosignoli, published in 1989 ISBN: 0715392123, or Polskie Siły Zbrojne na Zachodzie, by Benedykt Wojciechowski & Zdzisław Sawicki, published in 2009, ISBN: 9788390642987.

Both books show the Badges and Beret or Cap, Badges worn by the various units of the 2nd Corps whilst serving in the war, most worn after the end of the war in Europe.

Best wishes

Andrzej

[andrzejku98]

Hello Everyone,

I came across the following Face and Crosses whilst surfing:



Kapral Antoni Kubalok

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

Rank: Plut. (Lance Sergeant)

Surname: Kubalok

Christian Name: Antoni

Date of Birth: 6th December 1914

Army Number: 1914-540-III

Unit: KC (Commando Company)

Monte Cassino Cross numbered: 48436

Antoni Kubalok was wounded in August 1944 and survived the war in Europe and died on the 20th March 1988 aged 73.



Unknown Porucznik and Plut. Kubalok



Monte Cassino Cross obverse



Monte Cassino Cross reverse numbered: 6199

When awarded the recipients details were as follows:

Rank: Kapral Pchor. (Corporal-Officer Cadet)

Surname: Krzyżanowski

Christian Name: Bronisław

Date of Birth: 1916

Army Number: 1916-204-III

Unit: 12PULP

Monte Cassino Cross numbered: 6199

He survived the war in Europe being promoted to Podporucznik (2nd Lieutenant).



Monte Cassino Cross and Legitymacja numbered: 17344

When awarded the recipients details were as follows:

Rank: St.Strz. (Lance Corporal)

Surname: Nachurny

Christian Name: Józef

Date of Birth: 10th May 1914

Army Number: 1914-57-III

Unit: 15BS (15th Rifle Battalion) 5KDP

Monte Cassino Cross numbered: 17344

Józef Nachurny died in 1986 in Bradford.

Best wishes

Andrzej

[andrzejku98]

Hello Everyone,

Another Monte Cassino Cross for sale this time on Allegro.pl



Monte Cassino Cross obverse.



Monte Cassino Cross reverse numbered: 48537

When awarded the recipients details were as follows:

Rank: Plut. (Lance Sergeant)

Surname: Kochanowski

Christian Name: Jan

Date of Birth: 1905

Fathers Name: Wojciech

Army Number: 1905-82-III

Unit: 13 Kompania Warsztatowa (13th Workshop Company)

Monte Cassino Cross numbered: 48537

Best wishes

Andrzej

[andrzejku98]

Hello Everyone,

I came across the following whilst surfing this morning:



Monte Cassino Cross Legitymacja numbered: 47588

When awarded the recipients details were as follows:

Rank: Kapral (Corporal)

Surname: Polilejko

Christian Name: Justyn

Date of Birth: 26th September 1914

Fathers Name: Józef

Place of Birth: Łuck Mosarski

Army Number: 1914-115-III

Unit: 11 Szwadron Żandarmerii (11th Military Police Squadron)

Monte Cassino Cross numbered: 47588



Kapral Justyn Polilejko 13PUL pre 1939 photo.



British Star Legitymacja awarded to Kapral Justyn Polilejko



List of awards to Kapral Justyn Polilejko



Driving Licence dated 1942 obverse



Reverse of Driving Licence issued to Kapral Justyn Polilejko

Justyn Polilejko survived the war in Europe and died on the 2nd December 2004.

Best wishes

Andrzej

[artee1986]

Hello Artee,

Many thanks for your post, if you can get your hands on a copy of "The Allied Forces in Italy 1943-45 by the late Guido Rosignoli, published in 1989 ISBN: 0715392123, or Polskie Siły Zbrojne na Zachodzie, by Benedykt Wojciechowski & Zdzisław Sawicki, published in 2009, ISBN: 9788390642987.

Both books show the Badges and Beret or Cap, Badges worn by the various units of the 2nd Corps whilst serving in the war, most worn after the end of the war in Europe.

Best wishes

Andrzej

Hi Andrzej,

Thanks, I guess my friend has one of these books and I'll have a chance to look it through...

[Ben polski]

Hi, does anyone know if you can search archives (and where these would be) for a name of a soldier (my grandad) who fought at monte cassino, he died a few weeks after i was born and didnt talk to anyone about his experience. His cross was lost (we think he threw it out as apparently he had bad ptsd) his name was Jerzy polski and apparently he served in 2nd corps armoured/artillery (but not verified). We have verified he waa at monte cassino from his italian 1st wife/family.

Thanks in advance for any help in this

[andrzejku98]

Hello Ben,

May I be the first to welcome you to the Forum, I have looked through the Register of Recipients of the Monte Cassino Cross and found only one Polski listed St.Strz. (Lance Corporal) Stanisław Polski, Born in 1914.

It might be that your Grandfather joined the 2nd Corps after the Battle for Monte Cassino, the only way of find the truth of when he joined the 2nd Corps in Italy, would be to obtain a copy of his "Zeszyt Ewidencyjny", from the British Ministry of Defence. Unfortunately, you have to pay now days for this service I have placed the link to the Governments webpage for you below:

Get a copy of military service records: Apply for the records of someone who's deceased - GOV.UK

One thing that I would recommend Ben is that if you do not ask for copies of all records that they hold, you will receive a 2 page letter briefly detailing his personal details: Name date of Birth, Parents Names, Military service during the time he served under British Command and the list of his awards.

That is really the only way of truly finding when and where your Grandfather served.

Once again welcome to the Forum Ben and please keep us informed of how you get on.

Best wishes

Andrzej