The Order of the Virtuti Militari and its Cavaliers 1792-1992, By Prof. Dr. Zdzislaw P. Wesolowski
Other polish military history books, By Prof. Dr. Zdzislaw P. Wesolowski
ARTICLE: THE POLISH MONTE CASSINO CROSS By Prof. Dr. Zdzislaw P. Wesolowski
ARTICLE: POLISH MILITARIA, Scarcity Contributes to Value By Prof. Dr. Zdzislaw P. Wesolowski
BLUE ARMY - AN APPEAL TO POLONIA AND FRIENDS OF POLAND
The Polish Naval destroyer ORP Blyskawica
OTHER POLISH RESOURCES ON THE INTERNET.
 

THE POLISH MONTE CASSINO CROSS

By Prof. Dr. Zdzislaw P. Wesolowski
Colonel, South Carolina State Guard (Reserve)

The Abbey at Monte Cassino is one of the most famous abbeys in Europe. It was founded by Saint Benedict of Nursia in 529 AD on a former site of the temple of Apollo. It is located 75 miles southeast of Rome. The abbey stands at an altitude of 1,700 feet, overlooking the town of Cassino and the surrounding countryside. The abbey's original buildings were destroyed by the Lombards in 580 AD and rebuilt in 720 AD. Monte Cassino was again destroyed in 883 by the Saracens and restored in mid 900. In 1349, it was damaged by an earthquake. It was rebuilt again in 1600 only to be sacked by French troops who invaded the Kingdom of Naples. It was again rebuilt and would remain in beautiful condition until 1944.

The town of Cassino and its abbey stood in the way of allied forces in their objective to liberate Rome. The German troops surrounded the abbey. From this vantage point, they controlled air and ground fire against the Allies. American and British forces were unable to take Monte Cassino from the Germans and withdrew from the battlefield. The Polish 2nd Corps took their place and were victorious. It succeeded in taking Monte Cassino after three weeks of fierce fighting in mountain terrain which left the troops exposed to enemy snipers on the slopes. Upon taking the abbey, the Poles raised the white and red flag of Poland on top of the ruins of the monastery. The Battle of Monte Cassino is an eternal monument to the gallantry of the Polish soldiers. It surpasses Polish military heroism at Samo Sierra and the Charge at Rokitna.

At the conclusion of Polish military operations in and near Monte Cassino, the Polish government in Exile, (London) established a campaign cross to commemorate the battle. A total of 48, 498 crosses were awarded with accompanying award documents issued in the field to each soldier who took part in the battle. Today, original Monte Cassino crosses with award documents are scarce. Unfortunately, the High Command of the Polish 2nd Corps did not keep a master roll record of names of soldiers who received the crosses, either by cross number or by the name of the recipient. It is therefore impossible to determine whom a specific cross was issued to without the award document.

In recent years, a large number of original numbered Monte Cassino crosses have surfaced. These crosses have high numbers in the upper 48,500 to 49,999 range. After the conclusion of hostilities near Monte Cassino, the Polish 2nd Corps ordered 50,000 crosses from a manufacturer in Tel Aviv. Of this total, 48,498 were awarded and the rest remained at the headquarters of the Polish Government in London until 1989. The government decided to release the remaining 1,502 crosses since no further awards were being made. The crosses were sold to several dealers and auction houses, resulting in a flood of unawarded Monte Cassino crosses. Today, even these original unawarded crosses are scarce.

Official documentation to include a list of recipients will never be known. Records have been located which indicate blocks of crosses by serial number distributed to specific units. The statistical analysis shown below identifies these groups.

In closing, I must mention that at the foot of the Polish cemetery at Monte Cassino is an inscription in Polish which is worthy to mention for those who read the language. In translation it lessens its true meaning:

PRZECHODNIU, POWIEDZ POLSCE, ZESMY POLEGLI WIERNI W JEJ SLUZBIE, ZA WOLNOSC NASZA I WASZA, MY ZOLNIERZE POLSCY ODDALISMY-BOGU DUCHA, ZIEMI WLOSKIEJ CIALO, A SERCA, POLSCE

Passerby, tell Poland that we fell faithfully in her service, for our freedom and yours, we Polish soldiers gave our souls to God, our bodies to the soil of Italy, and our hearts to Poland.

SZCZESC BOZE KU CHWALE OJCZYZNY


Distribution of Awarded Monte Cassino Cross, 1944 by unit of assignment

UNIT FROM TO AWARDED
Commanders 1 13 13
Headquarters Group 14 744 731
Various Units 745 750 6
3rd DSK 751 14672 13922
Various Units 14673 14750 78
5th KDP 14751 28691 13941
Various units 28692 28750 59
2nd Armored Brigade 28751 32269 3519
Various Units 32270 32300 31
2nd Artillery Group 32301 34945 2645
Various units 34946 34960 15
2nd Corp Artillery 34961 38083 3123
Karpathian Lancers 38084 38760 677
Regiment 2nd Corp 38761 40420 1660
2nd Corp Signals 40421 41446 1026
Medical Corps 41447 42159 713
Signal Corps 42160 42171 12
2nd Medical Corps 42172 42328 157
1st Medical Hospital 42329 42736 408
2nd Medical Hospital 42737 43169 433
2nd Medical Corps 43170 43520 351
Supply and Transport 43521 45973 2453
Various Units 45974 46012 39
Materials and Supply 46013 46515 503
Maintenance 46516 47394 879
Geographic Group 47395 47475 81
Military Police 47476 47676 201
Palestine Command 47677 48006 330
Various Units 48007 48407 401
Commando Company 48408 48498 91

On may 18th 1994, Poland commemorated one of its greatest victories during World War II against Nazi Germany. Ceremonies were conducted at the Polish Cemetery at Monte Cassino to honor the 1,100 Poles who died while storming the abbey (11-25 May 1944.) The ceremony also honored the living veterans of that historical battle. President Lech Walesa and other dignitaries placed wreaths at the cemetery at Monte Cassino and for the first time, the Armed Forces of a free and independent Poland served as honor guards during the ceremony. Five thousand Polish veterans and their families visited Monte Cassino from Poland and from around the world. Military representatives of allied nations also participated in the ceremony. The author had the honor of representing the South Carolina State Guard and the U.S. Armed Forces at this ceremony at the direction of the Pentagon.

About the Author

Dr. Zdzislaw P. Wesolowski is a former officer of the United States Air Force, retiring at the rank of Captain. He is currently a Colonel in the South Carolina State Guard, attached to the reserves. He is a Professor of Aviation Management at Florida Memorial College in Miami and President of the Polish American Chamber of Commerce of Florida and the Americas.

He is the author of four books and twenty-five scholarly articles in business and economics.

As an amateur Polish military historian and collector of Polish militaria, He credits these interests to his fathers military service in the Polish Army and Navy. His father, Stefan P. Wesolowski, also served in the U.S.Army Transportation Corps as the commander (Captain) of the USAT Ganandoc, an auxillery aircraft carrier during the Invasion of Normandy in World War II. It is interesting to note that during his service with the U. S Army, his father was a Polish citizen. Few persons in American history ever commanded a naval ship during a war while being non-US citizens.

Dr Wesolowski invites your comments or questions. You can contact him via e-mail at: zwesolowsk@aol.com You can also visit his web site and learn more about Polish medals and decorations at

http://www.wwdir.com/polishbk.html

©copywrite Z. Wesolowski, 1997, & The Militaria Collector's Exchange