Monte Cassino Cross

[andrzejku98]

Hello Lambert,

Many thanks for your post, unfortunately the Monte Cassino Cross Numbered 49 855 was never awarded , the last Number listed as being awarded was 48, 847.

The Polish Government placed the order for 50,000 crosses but only 48, 847 were awarded the remainder were stored by the Polish Government in Exile in London. These were then sold off in the 1970's to medal dealers and Auction Houses in the UK.

Although not awarded it will still be a genuine cross.

I hope that the above information is of some use and help to you Lambert.

Best wishes

Andrzej

[Argonne1918]

Thank you.
Yes, all information is welcome.
I realized I have a collection a bit confusing ... but it was worth it.





Best Regards
Lambert

[ivanolek18]

Hi Andrzej! My name is Ivan Gawek from Argentina. Im searching my grandfathers military info. He was memeber of 2nd Polish Corps ae t Montecassino´s Battle. He served as caporal (I remember he said so ) on the 5 Kresowy Pułk Artylerii Przeciwlotniczej Lekkiej. I cant find the AXII/85/214 file, which contain the name of people who recived the Montecassino Cross, from the Sikorski Museum site. I think they pick down that file. I saw some photos of that list in this forum....could you find this info for me? exist any list of memebers of that unit?. His name was ALEKSANDER GAWEK.
Thank you!!!
Ivan

[andrzejku98]

Hello Ivan.

May I first of all welcome you to the War Relics Forum, glad to have you on board, unfortunately the Register of Recipients on the Monte Cassino Cross is not available online. You would have to visit the Institute in person having booked a seat in the reading room to look through the list of recipients.

What I can provide you with is the following information when awarded the Monte Cassino Cross your Grandfathers information was recorded as follows:

Rank: Kanonier (Artilleryman)

Surname: Gawek

Christian Name : Aleksander

Date of Birth: 1920

Army Number: (also found on His ID Tags): 1920-108-III

Unit : 5 Pulku Art.P-Lotn. (5th Anti Aircraft Artillery Regiment, 5th Kresowa Infantry Division, 2nd Polish Corps)

Awarded the Monte Cassino Cross Numbered : 22901

Ivan that is all the information that I have to hand, do you have your Grandfathers Legitymacja(authorization Cards) for the Medal Wojsko (Army Medal), 5th Kresowa Division Badge, 2nd Corps Badge, British Awards Legitymacja.

If not then the PISM is the only place that I know of that will be able to provide you with the Army Medal Legitymacja and award date (one of 6 dates on which they where awarded from 1946-1948).

Unfortunately they do not have a master copy of the 2nd Corps Badge over 110,000 awarded.

If you write to the PISM, they will charge you payment in advance £25.00p for a 2 hour search with no guarantee of finding anything and the reply might take up to 6 months.

The British Ministry of Defence hold all the Polish Army Service Redords from WW2, they also charge £30.00, plus you would have to provide them with photocopy proof that you are Aleksander Gawek Grandson.

If you do go down this avenue of research then please ask for copies of all the records that they hold on your Grandfather otherwise you will just receive a 1 or 2 page letter detailing a brief outline of his service and awards.

I have placed the link to the British M-o-D website below for you to view and download the relevant forms.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/request-...vice-personnel

Ivan please let us know how you get on with your search and if possible post a photograph of your Grandfather

I have also posted photgraphs of the Army Medal, 5KDP Badge and 2nd Corps Badge plus front covers of their Legitymacja's for your help in identifying them.



Army Medal obverse and reverse



5th Kresowa Infantry Division Badge obverse



2nd Corps Badge obverse



5th Kresowa Infantry Division Badge Legitymacja



2nd Corps Badge Legitymacja

Once again Ivan welcome to the Forum

Best wishes

Andrzej

[Wisnia]

Hello Ivan GAWEK.
You may have heard of other Polish soldiers in Argentina. The POK museum at Martin Coronado,Buenos Aires has souvenirs from Polish soldiers:
-Bańkowski Antoni, 18 Baon Rifle, 5 KDP.
-saper Murawski Hieronim, army number: 1906-24-III.Unit: 3 Baon sapper, 3 DSK.
-ogniomistrz Iwanowski Piotr, unit 11 pac.
-śp.kpr.pchor.Bednarski Tadeusz Marek .
-plut.Rymarz Jan.
-wachmistrz Suszko Włodzimierz, army number 1908-139-III, unit 12th regiment of Podolski Lancers.
-Toczyłowski Włodzimierz, unit 2 WDPanc.
In Argentina there were:
-Branch of the soldiers 11th Volyn Battalion Rifle.
-Branch of the soldiers 18th Lviv Battalion Rifle.
Best wishes
Artur

[Elzunia GO]

Hello Andrzejku. Can you please check if Jan Gierka dob 16 Dec 1921, died at Monte Cassino May 1944, was awarded the Monte Cassino Cross. Is there any other info about him? He was a sapper in 5 KDP.
Elzunia GO

[andrzejku98]

Hello Elzunia GO,

Many thanks for your post, the answer is yes he was awarded the Monte Cassino Cross:

Rank: Sap.sp.

Surname: Gierka

Christian Name : Jan

Date of Birth: 16th December 1921

Place of Birth: Sendowicze, in the Provence of Jędrzejów

Army Number: (also found on His ID Tags): 1921-118-III

Unit: Dowodztwo Saperow 5KDP

Killed in Action : 17th May 1944

Grave Number : 6-C-20

Monte Cassino Cross Numbered: 25138

Polish Records Centre at Rembertów File Number: X1557

Photograph of the grave at Monte Cassino is shown below:



Best wishes

Andrzej

[Elzunia GO]

Thank you. about his army nr - what does the III mean? do you know if his cross was sent to his family?

[andrzejku98]

Hello Elzunia GO,

The III tells that he served in the Mediterranean Theatre whilst ID Tags with say 1913-31-I would denote 1st Armoured Division and 1st Corps in the United Kingdom.

I have checked the Polish depository with no mention of Jan Gierka so he must have had relatives to whom his belongings where given after the end of the war.

Best wishes

Andrzej

[Elzunia GO]

He was definitely in Dowodztwo Saperow 5KDP as you said above, never in UK.
I've been told that the army nr was given when enlisting and the III denotes the place of enlistment in Russia.