Just a quick update, military records applied for, so I await delivery. Will update when they arrive.
Thanks
Chris
Just a quick update, military records applied for, so I await delivery. Will update when they arrive.
Thanks
Chris
Hello again, I have been busy continuing in my reserch. I contacted a London based group who reaserch the Home army. They sent me various details on my grandad. So I can fill in some of his life.
We know he fought in the September campaign until capture.
Then I don't know where he went, then in 1942 he was a prisoner at Murnau VII-A Oflag until 29 April 1945 when the camp was liberated by the U.S 12th armourd division. Then in 10/7/45 he was incorporated into the II korpus.
So I'm still awaiting his military records which may fill in some gaps.
I also have a handwritten cv from my grandad (yet to be translated) and a letter from Zygmunt Podhorski awarding him the silver cross of merit with swords for service in the pow camp, it keeps mentioning the 'conspiracy tasks in the prison camp' and 'work underground' does anybody know what this entailed?
Thank you and happy Christmas
Chris
Hello guys.
I managed to find the info that Kazimierz Wierzbiański born on 1 June 1914 was promoted to the rank of 2nd Lt. in the active service of the Cavalry Corps with seniority (‘starszeństwo’) of the rank since 1 October 1938 placing him in the 1st position (‘lokata’) within this promotion. This would explain him receiving the sabre from Marshal Rydz-Śmigły as the best graduate so I guess it is very likely it may be him on the graduation ceremony pic with Rydz-Śmigły. Following the promotion he began his service with the 1st ‘Krechowiecki’ Lancers Regiment. According to the wartime mobilisation plan on 23 March 1939 he served with this unit as the platoon commander within the 3rd squadron. After taking part in the 1939 Defensive War with the 1st Lancers, 2nd Lt. Wierzbiański was taken prisoner. He received the POW no. 32 871 and was sent to the Oflag VII A Murnau.
The only additional info on your Granddad’s post-war service I found is that around 1946 in Osimo, Italy, he had an Italian sweetheart Maria Vici, a sister-in-law of another 1st Lancers officer, Lt. Antoni Kaczorowski. The third sister was in turn a girlfriend of 2nd Lt. Bolesław Kukiełka of the 2nd squadron. All three sisters were gorgeous girls as Bolesław Kukiełka described them years later. No wonder why Krechowieccy officers preferred the Vici sisters’ kind company.
Regards,
Tom
Last edited by Thomas the Tank Engine; 12-15-2014 at 02:35 AM.
Thank you for your reply Thomas
The documentation I have only shows him being in Marnau from 1942, but I have no info from the September camping until 42 so that would explain the gap, he was then reincorporated into the II korpus 10/7/45 then I have a gap until 28/7/46 on where he was sent to Bruntingthorpe in the uk? So I was wondering, I know the Krechowieki lancers were fighting through Italy, was he sent there after his liberation? He always mentioned Italy and had a watch he said he got there.
The news of a sweetheart is new to us, where did you find this information? As it's very interesting.
He also always said he was in charge of 5 sherman tanks? Would this have been during the later 45/46 period?
I'm still awaiting his military records but a letter from the home army research centre in London said during his stay in murnau he was awarded the silver merit medal with swords due to "underground action as chief internal switchboard, under German repression"
Thank you for your help, so many questions...
Chris
Hi Chris,
The information on the sweetheart comes from Lt Col Bolesław Jan Kukiełka's memoirs. Sadly he passed away in 2005 so it's impossible to get any specific info, unless you find another 'Krechowiecki' officer who used to know your Granddad. I'd suggest asking Mr Andrzej Suchcitz of the Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum in London for help in this matter. I guess he knows the 1st Lancers veterans very well as the author of a monograph on the 1st Lancers from 1941 to 1947.
Regards,
Tom
Hi all, well I have not got my packs back from the polish section of RAF northholt and the polish home army.
It would appear my grandad had quite a life. I will give you a general overview here.
Regular service from 20/9/35 with the 1st Krechowieki lancers, 2nd lieutenant 1938, fought September campaign 1939, taken pow but escaped and made his way to Warszaza and joined the underground army. Arrested 9/11/39 and sent to stalag Xiii in Nuremberg, then to oflag VII C Laufen, he was then sent to oflag VII A Murnau, he was here from 21/5/40 until liberation by the Americans on 28/4/45. He then transferred to Italy and joined the 1st Krechowieki lancers, 2nd warszawska armoured division. Served then until 1946 then joined the PRC before he relinquishedhis commission on 13/5/49.
I have also made a contact who is arranging a reunion of pow's and relatives from Murnau in April (70th anniversary) and myself and my dad are going over to Germany to take part. The camp is now a German army camp.
Interestingly he never claimed his 39-45 war medal, so hopefully we will receive that soon.
Thank you all for your help on my journey so far.
Chris Wierzbianski
Hello everyone. I have a question if there is a list of names of tanks of the 1st Lancers Regiment Krechowiecki II sqadron. The battle of the Chenti River in Italy on June 27, 1944. I used two sources available to me: Overview of cavalry and armored weapons; XV No. 114; 1984: article by Lieutenant Colonel Bialostocki: "Action of the 1st Lancers Regiment on the Chienti River on June 27, 1944." and Boleslaw Jan Kukiełka: "Life Draws on History".
At the beginning of April 1944, the 1st Lancashire Regimental Regiment was embarked and transported by sea to Italy. The regiment consisted of 39 officers, 308 non-commissioned officers and 371 privates. It was fitted with 52 Sherman M4A2 tanks, 11 Stuart M3A1 light infantry tanks and 178 other motor vehicles. There were three armored squadrons with four platoons each and a reconnaissance squad.
In the armored squadron was a squadron of command (4 tanks) and four platoons of 3 tanks each.
Together, the squadron had 16 tanks. Each tank had its own name. It was about tanks of the second squadron.
List of commanders of tanks in the Battle of the Chenti River on 27 June 1944 according to the abovementioned sources from the 2nd Squadron:
II squadron commander rtm.T.Gierycz
Deputy commander of the squadron: por.A.Czapski,-poczet dowódcy szwadronu
I platoon of tanks:commander ppor.M.Smolka,
II platoon of tanks:commanderchor.Grajner;
III platoon of tanks:commander: ppor.S. Ługowski, tank destroyed by Chenti
IV platoon of tanks:commander: ppor.J.Rukat,
1 tank IV platoon: pchor.Kukiełka, tank destroyed in river Chenti-tank named Rozmach
3 tanks of IV plutonium; plut.H.Kaczmarek
Tank names collected from various publications:all in littera R
1.Renife/Reindeer- No. T149306 - RTG Squadron Tank. J. Rukata, 1945
2.Rozmach and after the destruction of the new "Rozmach I" - a tank of cadet Bolesław Kukiełka
3.Raid
4.Rycerz/Knight and probably after the destruction of the new "knight I" with better gun
5.Reymont
6.Rumak/Charger
7.Ryś No. T-263541 Firefly IcH with british cupola and pistol port
8.Radom,Radom I Radom II T-263572 or 263512 Firefly IcH high bustle turret with oval loaders hatch
9.Rozbójnik/The robber T - Firefly IcH with british cupola
What were the names of the remaining seven tanks?
10.?11.?12.?13.?14.?15.?16.?
Is there a list with names of tanks,with commanders and crew members?
Hello everyone,
I found the names of the tanks.Source:Andrzej Antoni Kamiński:,,Od Akromy do Zwycięstwa"-part IV.In this position,part I-VIII are also the names of other vehicles:2 Bpanc,1st Regiment Uhlans Krechowiecki,p4p,p6p,Regiment Lancers Karpacki.Names supplemented by car numbers, which I was able to determine at once source.List of names of tanks and some commanders and numbers.IInd Sqadron 1st Regiment Lancers Krechowiecki: litrera R
1.Ryś:commander of sqadron rotm.Tadeusz Gierycz;Ryś I nr T 269541:commander plut.Mikołaj Łabiejko
2.Rozmach nr T 167264:commander kpr.pchor.Bolesław Kukiełka-damaged Chienti 27.VI. 1944;Rozmach I i II:dca kpr.pchor.Konrad Zimanda
3.Radom;Radom I;Radom II nr T 269512:commander plut.Czesław Rosiński
4.Rycerz,Rycerz I nr T 270012:commander plut.Antoni Stachowski
5.Raid:commander plut.pchor.Artur Liebhardt
6.Reymont:commander śp wachmistrz Aleksander Andrzejewski born.12.VIII 1913,has died 19.IV 1945;Bolonia Italy CP gr 14-A-4.
7.Renifer nr T 149506:commander of sqadron II rtm.J.Rukat
8.Rozbójnik:commander kpr.pchor.Zbigniew Gruszkoś
9.Rumak:commander ppor.Bolesław Kukiełka
10.Rejtan:commander por.Stefan Ługowski,Rejtan I,Rejtan II nr T 149451
11.Rekin;Rekin I nr 269517:commander por.Kazimierz Misztak,Loreto 1945
12.Rekord:commander por.Jan Rukat,Rekord I,Rekord II,Rekord III:dca por.K.Milewski
13.Raszyn:commander por.Marian Smolka;Raszyn I
14.Rębacz I:commander wachm.Ernest Łuczak
15.Równe:commander kpr.pchor.Jan Pawlak;Równe I
16.Raider
17.Rey,Rey II:commander por.Antoni Kaczorowski
18.Rozeta
19.Romek
Best regard.Artur
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