Trying to find what medals my grandad may have got in the war

[Davidpolo]

My grandad was Jósef Połonowski
This is what I believe is true

1939 , he was in 10 pułk litewskich Białstock
1939-41 arrested crossing borders without papers , sent to a camp in Siberia (I don’t know which one ??)
1941, polish 2nd corps , starszy strzelec 3rd batalion

Fought at Monte casino , lost his leg to a grenade

Came to uk

I’m trying to find out what medals he got, if any
And would he have got a Monte casino cross?
Also is there any way to find which cap he was in in Siberia ?

Any help would be great

Dave

[Davidpolo]

Also found this : 3DSK 1913/39
3rd carpathian rifle brigade

Thanks

[ValeriiGajewski]

Hello there Dear Davidpolo!

Your grandfather duaring Italian Campaign served in inside 3 Dywizja Strzelców Karpackich ---> 1 Brygada Strzelców Karpackich ----> 3 Batalion Strzelców Karpackich
Link for his profile(please click) from Kresy web site:
Also You can find his name(please click) inside 29.000 soldiers list from the book - 2-tomowego dzieła " Trzecia Dywizja Strzelców Karpackich 1942-1947 ", wyd. Londyn 1991 r.

Your grandfather most of all born at Białystok. Most of all his real year of birth 1916, or he decided to change it for NKVD, when he was arrested. His personal arrested profile still store inside KGB archive of Grodno. Profile # -
П-16571. Think that you can find a lot of interesting information about him there.

Link for your grandfather's profile from Memorial web site (please click & use translator)
Informatione from IPN web site about his arrest:

ZUB-398/117/7(please click. Web page 119)


After Sikorskiy-Majskiy agreement released on 30/08/1941 and came to the Anders Army.

He was awarded by:
- Krzyz Waleznych
- Monte Cassino Cross (should check that)
- Polish Army Medal (should check that)
- The 1939-45 star
- The Italy Star
- The Defence Medal
- The War medal 1939-45

Also you can read this post if you want to know a little bit more about these awwards. Also please read this one(please click). That post instruct you how is it possible to check was your grandfather awarded by Cross of Combat Action of the Polish Armed Forces in the West and Medal "For participation in the defensive war of 1939.


Please contact MOD (British Ministry of Defence Polish department) where you can find all his military service documents. Inside his "Zeszyt Ewidencijny" you will able to find information about all his military awwards.
Example below:




Regards, Valerii

[andrzejku98]

Hello Dave,

May I welcome you to the Forum, with regards to your Grandfather St.Strz. (Lance Corporal) Józef Połonowski, Army Number : 1913-39-III, Unit : 3BSK (3rd Battalion of the 1st Brigade Carpathian Rifle Division), awarded the Cross of Valour.

I have checked through the Register of Recipients of the Monte Cassino Cross, but could not find him listed but there are some missing Crosses Numbered 14703-14750 (excluding 14720,14725, 14744 which have been identified)

Has Valerii stated the British Ministry of Defence would be the place to obtain your Grandfathers service record from, please be sure to request copies of everything they have otherwise you will receive a one or two page letter detailing his personal details his service in the Army Medals etc.

The link to the webpage is below just click on the link :

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

Also I noticed that the date of Birth given on the internet is the 22nd September 1913, whilst his death registration lists his birth has the 8th July 1913 ?

Also Dave I hope that you do not mind me posting a Photograph of your Grandfather, which I found on the internet :



Best wishes

Andrzej

[ValeriiGajewski]

Dear Andrzej!

On the Memorial web site his surename pronounce like
Polonski, and year of born sign as 1916.
Might that be the second reason why you coudn't find him in the list of KMC recepients?
For ex. For my great grandfather Gajewski Walerian inside KMC list from PISM his army number looks like 1906/39. His original number was 1907/39/III:



Regards,Valerii

[andrzejku98]

Hello Valerii,

Many thanks for your reply, I have gone through the list again using the Polonski spelling with no joy except for a Ulan born in 1912 serving in 15PULP, I have also checked through the list using his Service Number also without find him listed.

It might be that the numbers missing from the Register might hold his details, the only way to confirm this would be through obtaining his service history.

Best wishes

Andrzej

[Davidpolo]

Thanks everyone , I’ll look into the links and see what I can find
I think he started out in the 10 pułk ułanów litewskich looking at old photos and his badge

They were in biaystock

[Davidpolo]

He did survive the war even with his leg blown off , but he died before I was born and he didn’t talk to my dad too much about the war

[ValeriiGajewski]

Dear Dave!

Please post the photos which you are talking about.
Think that Most of all these were his military photos from his regular one year service somethere from 1934-1936.
You still able to check that informatione inside CAW WBH archives:
10 Pułk Ułanów Litewskich Rozkazy dzienne 1934-1936
sygn. I.321.10.11 - 1934
sygn. I.321.10.12 - 1935
sygn. I.321.10.13 - 1936

But first of all I advise you get his military records from MOD. In his "Zeszyt Ewidencijny" you will find more information about that period:




Regards, Valerii

[Davidpolo]

How do I add photos o can’t find a way to do it