Monte Cassino cross

[andrzejku98]

Hello Everyone,

I came across the following photograph this morning, it shows 5 Brothers who were all awarded the Monte Cassino Cross :



The photograph taken after the end of the war in Europe shows : Józef, Andrzej, Franciszek, Michał and Walenty Szczotka

Józef Szczotka

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

Rank : Plut.

Surname : Szczotka

Christian Name : Józef

Date of Birth : 1906

Army Number : 1906-274-III

Unit : 5PAPLotn.

Monte Cassino Cross Numbered : 23366

Józef died on the 15th January 1995

Andrzej Szczotka

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

Rank : Plut.

Surname : Szczotka

Christian Name : Andrzej

Date of Birth : 30th October 1907

Army Number : 1907-224-III

Unit : 23KT (23rd Transport Company)

Monte Cassino Cross Numbered : 44671

Andrzej died 30th May 2008 aged 100.

Franciszek Szczotka

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

Rank : Bomb.

Surname : Szczotka

Christian Name : Franciszek

Date of Birth : 28th September 1909

Army Number : 1909-126-III

Unit : 7PAPpanc.

Monte Cassino Cross Numbered : 35491

Michał Szczotka

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

Rank : Szer.

Surname : Szczotka

Christian Name : Michał

Date of Birth : 5th September 1911

Army Number : 1911-128-III

Unit : SOE.Nr.3 (3rd Casualty Clearing Station)

Monte Cassino Cross Numbered : 41592

Michał died on the 9th June 1998 aged 86

Walenty Szczotka

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

Rank : St.Strz.

Surname : Szczotka

Christian Name : Walenty

Date of Birth : 6th January 1924

Army Number : 1924-67-III

Unit : 3KBCKM

Monte Cassino Cross Numbered : 11327

Walenty is still alive at the age of 98.

Best wishes

Andrzej

[andrzejku98]

Hello Everyone,

In my recent post Numbered : 4863 I showed a Monte Cassino Cross along with the British Defence and War Medals plus a copy of his Zeszyt Ewidencyjny (Evidence Card), for sale on Ebay it has just ended and has sold for : £511.00p

Which relates to :

609.23 Euro's

$ 642.59 US Dollars

$ 825.92 Canadian Dollars

2, 847.10 Polish Zlotych.

Not a bad price for the Monte Cassino Cross with information.



Monte Cassino Cross reverse Numbered 25059 obverse



Monte Cassino Cross reverse Numbered : 25059

Best wishes

Andrzej

[andrzejku98]

Hello Everyone,

Another Face of a recipient of the Monte Cassino Cross this time a Female :



Alina Kiersnowska

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

Rank : Och.

Surname : Kiersnowska

Christian Name : Alina

Date of Birth : 1915

Fathers Name : Józef

Place of Birth : Bukiszki

Army Number : 1915-289-III

Unit : 161SW (161st Military Hospital)

Monte Cassino Cross Numbered : 42030

Best wishes

Andrzej

[andrzejku98]

Hello Everyone,

A few more Faces of recipients of the Monte Cassino Cross and items belonging to recipients :



Jan Kozikowski

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

Rank : Kan.

Surname : Kozikowski

Christian Name : Jan

Date of Birth : 24th June 1919

Fathers Name : Franciszek

Mothers Name : Tekla

Place of Birth : Kolno

Army Number : 1919-177-III

Unit : 5KPAPpanc (5th Kresowa Anti Tank Artillery Regiment)

Monte Cassino Cross Numbered : 23083

Jan Kozikowski survived the war in Europe and came to the UK with his Regiment, he joined the Polish Resettlement Corps with the Number : 30056860, in 1948 he emigrated to Australia.



Monte Cassino Cross Legitymacja cover



Monte Cassino Cross Legitymacja Numbered : 23083 awarded to Kan. Jan Kozikowski



5KDP Badge Legitymacja cover



5KDP Badge Legitymacja Numbered : 11566 awarded to Kan. Jan Kozikowski



2nd Corps Badge Legitymacja cover



2nd Corps Badge Legitymacja Numbered 103868 awarded to Kan. Jan Kozikowski



British Stars Legitymacja Numbered 55/46 awarded to Kan. Jan Kozikowski



Discharge Certificate awarded to Kan. Jan Kozikowski



1948 Passenger Form for Jan Kozikowski on his way to Australia.

Jan Kozikowski died on the 9th November 1999 in Tailem Bend, South Australia aged 80.

Best wishes

Andrzej

p.s. click on the photographs to enlarge in a new window.

[andrzejku98]

Hello Everyone,

I know that I stated in my previous post More Faces of Recipients, but with the amount of material for Jan Kozikowski, I thought that he deserved an entry by himself :



Włodzimierz Jarosz

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

Rank : St.Strz. (Lance Corporal)

Surname : Jarosz

Christian Name : Włodzimierz

Date of Birth : 1913

Army Number : 1913-50-III

Unit : 3KBCKM (3rd Carpathian Heavy Machine Gun Battalion)

Monte Cassino Cross numbered : 5057



Józef Solski

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

Rank : Kapral

Surname : Solski

Christian Name : Józef

Date of Birth : 1919

Army Number : 1919-319-III

Unit : P6Panc. (6th Armoured Regiment "Children of Lwów").

Monte Cassino Cross numbered : 30840

Józef Solski died on the 9th December 1969 aged 50, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.



Monte Cassino Cross Legitymacja numbered : 20137

When awarded the recipients details were as follows :

Rank : Kapral

Surname : Gawęda

Christian Name : Józef

Date of Birth : 1910

Army Number : 1910-129-III

Unit : 4PAL

Monte Cassino Cross Numbered : 20137



Battledress Tunic of Plut. Józef Gawęda which clearly shows his rank and the award of the Cross of Valour(KW).

Best wishes

Andrzej

[andrzejku98]

Hello Everyone,

Another Face of a recipient of the Monte Cassino Cross :



St.Szer. Zygmunt Tomasz Hoffman

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

Rank : St.Szer. (Lance Corporal)

Surname : Hoffman

Christian Name : Zygmunt Tomasz

Date of Birth : 7th March 1921

Fathers Name : Kazimierz

Army Number : 1921-29-III

Unit : 11 Batalion Łączności (11th Signals Battalion)

Monte Cassino Cross Numbered : 40628

Zygmunt Hoffman survived the war in Europe and came to the UK with his Battalion, in 1948 he married Doreen Smith (1928-2017), Zygmunt Tomasz Hoffman died in Lancashire on the 24th July 1991 aged 70.

Best wishes

Andrzej

p.s. click on the photograph to enlarge in a new window.

[andrzejku98]

Hello Everyone,

A Monte Cassino Cross up for auction later this month by Desa Aukcje Kraków :



Monte Cassino Cross obverse



Monte Cassino Cross reverse numbered : 29524

When awarded the recipients details were as follows :

Rank : Plut. Pchor. (Lance Sergeant/Officer Cadet)

Surname : Świerczyński

Christian Name : Zdzisław

Date of Birth : 16th July 1914

Fathers Name : Bolesław

Place of Birth : Ispina

Army Number : 1914-138-III

Unit : P4Panc. (4th Armoured Regiment, Headquarters Squadron)

Monte Cassino Cross Numbered : 29524

By the end of the war in Europe he had been promoted to Podporucznik (2nd Lieutenant) and awarded the Cross of Valour.

Best wishes

Andrzej

[andrzejku98]

Hello Everyone,

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



Monte Cassino Cross obverse reverse numbered : 25505



Monte Cassino Cross revese numbered : 25505

When awarded the recipients details were as follows :

Rank : St.Saper (Lance Corporal)

Surname : Kondrat

Christian Name : Justyn

Date of Birth : 12th June 1917

Fathers Name :Kleofas

Army Number : 1917-201-III

Unit : DS5KDP (Divisional Engineers 5th Kresowa Infantry Regiment)

Monte Cassino Cross Numbered : 25505

Justyn Kondrat survived the war in Europe and came to the UK with his unit and after being demobbed settled down to civilian life in a foreign land, Justyn Kondrat died in Swindon in 1981.

Best wishes

Andrzej

[andrzejku98]

Hello Everyone,

A few more faces of recipients of the Monte Cassino Cross from a photograph from the upcoming auction of Desa Aukcje Kraków



At the front of the Colour Party on the left is Por. Henryk Tekliński

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

Rank : Podporucznik (2nd Lieutenant)

Surname : Tekliński

Christian Name : Henryk

Date of Birth : 7th November 1906

Place of Birth : Golymin

Army Number : 1906-28-III

Unit : 12PULP

Monte Cassino Cross Numbered : 1927

By the end of the war in Europe he had been promoted to Porucznik (Lieutenant) and awarded the Virtuti Militari Numbered : 8634 and the Cross of Valour.

The NCO holding the 12PULP Standard is Wachm. Ignacy Kuriata

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

Rank : Wachm (Sergeant of Cavalry)

Surname : Kuriata

Christian Name : Ignacy

Date of Birth : 1910

Army Number : 1910-7-III

Unit : 12PULP

Monte Cassino Cross Numbered : 6157

By the end of the war in Europe he had been promoted to St.Wachmistrz and awarded the Virtuti Militari Legitymacja Numbered : 10462 and the Cross of Valour with 1 Bar, he later emigrated to Canada where he died on the 16th March 1958 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

The NCO on the right although listed as being Plut. K Niewiarowski there is nothing listed for him has regards the awarding of the Virtuti Militari.

Best wishes

Andrzej

[TMZ]

Hello Andrzej,

just for information, in the 3 DSK list, the second soldier you mentioned is listed there with a J rather than I - as:

KURJATA Ignacy, 1910/7, st. wachm.


Regards,

Ted