Monte Cassino Cross

**andrzejku98** · 02-09-2020, 04:07 PM

Hello Fran,

Many thanks for your emails, unfortunately on the Forum we can not attach photographs etc to private emails.

I have dug out the sheet listing the recipients of the Monte Cassino Cross the Recipient of the MCC Numbered 48444 is near the bottom of the page.

How your Grandfather got hold of it we may never know, perhaps his friend thought that he deserved it, for what Aleksander went through.

I have also attached your photographs, I hope you do not mind.

Best wishes

Andrzej

**Fran** · 02-09-2020, 04:25 PM

Fantastic, thank you so much!

Now I think that the way further is to get in touch with the MOD.

I still can't grasp the fact that 77 years of mystery got lifted in a matter of hours, thanks to the good will of the passionate members of this community.

My whole family is in a very emotional state right now, especially the two remaining daughters of my grandfather, who never knew much about this part of his life until today.

It'll help pass this personal history onto the next generation, Aleksander's 5 great grandsons, including my own 11yo.

I can't thank you enough for your help.

**andrzejku98** · 02-09-2020, 05:03 PM

Hello Fran,

You are most welcome, if I can help anyone I will do my best, it is over 21 years since I last visited the PISM in London, now days because of health issues I am house bound and last August lost the site in my right eye.

SO while I still have one good eye it is a pleasure to try and solve any mystery that I can.

Best wishes

Andrzej

**Krakow1** · 02-09-2020, 05:37 PM

Sometimes soldiers traded Badges "for luck" . Some Silent and Unseen did it.
Looks like the rightful owner of the MC #48444 was Cpl Gudaj who also of First Platoon.

**conrado** · 02-09-2020, 07:44 PM

Hello Fran,

Here is an excerpt from the entry of the 1st Platoon Commander por. (Lieutenant later Capitan) Andrzej Czyński in the Battle Log of February 7, 1944, in which he describes the characteristics of his soldiers, including your grandfather - st. strz. Kubisiak:

St. strz. Kubisiak - silny fiz. b. dobry (physically strong, very good)

I just also wondering why he is not on the Recipients' list of the Monte Cassino Cross...

An interesting fact is that kapral (Corporal) Jerzy Gudaj who got the Monte Cassino Cross Numbered 48444 was a sniper:

kapr. Gudaj strz. wyb. - sniper

Regards
Konrad

**Wisnia** · 02-09-2020, 08:04 PM

Hello Fran

I can call to the CAW on Tuesday to ask for a deposit.
Do you speak Polish?
Write me warrelic's post and give me an email if you are interested.

In CAW archive is note:

Wykaz nazwisk żołnierzy,których depozyty są przechowywane w CAW WBH:
List of names of soldiers whose deposits are kept at the CAW WBH:

KUBISIAK Aleksander born 1918-12-08 Demin Germany.

WBH sygn.1918/398/III

About GUDAJ Jerzy in WBH archive,unfortunately,not found.

Best wishes

Artur

**Fran** · 02-09-2020, 08:06 PM

by conrado

Hello Fran,

Here is an excerpt from the entry of the 1st Platoon Commander por. (Lieutenant later Capitan) Andrzej Czyński in the Battle Log of February 7, 1944, in which he describes the characteristics of his soldiers, including your grandfather - st. strz. Kubisiak:

St. strz. Kubisiak - silny fiz. b. dobry (physically strong, very good)

I just also wondering why he is not on the Recipients' list of the Monte Cassino Cross...

Regards
Konrad

haha, that description matches him very well. My mother remembers that he said he was a boxing champion during training.

Both him and Cpl Gudaj were in 1st Platoon right from the start of the unit, as the logs mention them both as being in Scotland when the unit was formed and trained.

They fought the whole war together. There must have been a story there. They were probably very close.

As for the Cross, Andrzej theorised that since he was injured in January 1944, he was probably recovering during the time period of the actual assault.

One of the criteria for the Cross was either having seen action between May 12th and 31st, or having been injured between April 27th and May 31st.

It might explain it why he was not awarded the Cross. Cpl Gudaj probably thought he deserved the medal for some reason.

**Fran** · 02-09-2020, 08:15 PM

by Wisnia

Hello Fran

I can call to the CAW on Tuesday to ask for a deposit.
Do you speak Polish?
Write me warrelic's post and give me an email if you are interested.

In CAW archive is note:

Wykaz nazwisk żołnierzy,których depozyty są przechowywane w CAW WBH:
List of names of soldiers whose deposits are kept at the CAW WBH:

KUBISIAK Aleksander born 1918-12-08 Demin Germany.

WBH sygn.1918/398/III

Best wishes

Artur

Hi Artur

unfortunately I don't speak Polish. My grandfather had already immigrated to France when the war broke out, and he met his future wife after the war. She was also a Polish immigrant.

They raised their three daughters as French citizens, refusing to speak Polish and let them learn, to better integrate. So that knowledge was lost.

I'll send you a PM with my email address, thank you so much for proposing!

You guys are amazing, you have no idea how much this means to my mother and my aunt, and to me as well. Sadly their little sister passed away in 2000, she would have loved to know all this.

**Fran** · 02-09-2020, 08:21 PM

It's a shame there's no record of Cpl Gudaj, I would love to know more about the reason he gave his Cross away, it must have been very important indeed.

**conrado** · 02-09-2020, 08:47 PM

Fran,

Some more info regarding your Grandfather.
The records show that he went to the hospital between April 10 and May 13 and stayed there until at least May 14. So he fulfilled requirements to receive the Monte Cassino Cross.

On the other hand, ppor. (2nd Lieutenant) Różankowski and plut. (Lance Sergeant) Woźniak with whom your Grandfather was in the hospital during this period are also not on the Recipients' list of Monte Cassino Cross.