| Monte Cassino Commemorative Cross | |
|---|---|
  Obverse (top left) with the inscription "MONTE CASSINO MAJ 1944" and reverse (top right) with the serial number of the medal. Cross 25369 was awarded to a soldier of the 5th Engineers Battalion, 5th Kresowa Infantry Division: Sapper Jan Giedo | |
| Type | Campaign medal |
| Awarded for | Campaign service |
| Presented by | Polish government in Exile |
| Eligibility | Polish II Corps |
| Campaign | Battle of Monte Cassino |
| Clasps | None authorised. |
| Established | 1944 |
TheMonte Cassino Commemorative Cross (Polish:Krzyż Pamiątkowy Monte Cassino) is a commemorative medal awarded to all soldiers of thePolish II Corps who fought in thebattle of Monte Cassino and the battles for Piedimonte and Passo Corno. After the capture ofMonte Cassino in May 1944, thePolish government-in-exile (in London) created a campaign cross to commemorate the role of the Polish II Corps (often known asAnders Army) in capturing this strategic point, which had long blocked the Allied advance up the Italian peninsula.
A consignment of 50,000 crosses was ordered from a manufacturer inTel Aviv, then part of British-ruledPalestine, where the Polish forces had spent part of 1942 and almost all of 1943 in training. A total of 48,498 crosses (serial numbers 1 to 48,498) were awarded with accompanying award documents issued in the field to each soldier who took part in the battle.[1] Although it is commonly believed that no master record exists to indicate which serial numbers were given to specific soldiers, records do indicate which blocks of serial numbers were given to units within the Polish II Corps.[1] Furthermore, the actual lists of named cross recipients are held at thePolish Institute and Sikorski Museum.
The 1502 un-awarded crosses (serial numbers 48,499 to 50,000) were eventually sold off to dealers and collectors.[1] At the moment of its institution in June 1944, the medal was 19th in the Polishorder of precedence.[2]
The Monte Cassino Commemorative Cross was issued to the following units:
CROSS No. UNIT
1Senior Commanders - GeneralWładysław Anders, General Officer Commanding2 Polish Corps
2Senior Commanders - GeneralZygmunt Bohusz-Szyszko, Deputy General Officer Commanding 2 Polish Corps
3Senior Commanders - BishopJózef Gawlina, Polish Army Field Bishop
4Senior Commanders - GeneralBolesław Bronisław Duch, General Officer Commanding3 Carpathian Rifle Division
5Senior Commanders - GeneralNikodem Sulik, General Officer Commanding5 Kresowa Infantry Division
6Senior Commanders - GeneralBronisław Rakowski, General Officer Commanding2 Armoured Brigade
7Senior Commanders - GeneralRoman Odzierzyński General Officer Commanding 2 Polish Corps Artillery
8Senior Commanders - General Prof. Dr Bolesław Szarecki, General Officer Commanding 2 Polish Corps Medical Services
9Senior Commanders - Colonel Dr. Ludwik Ząbkowski, Commanding Officer 2 Artillery Group, 2 Polish Corps
10Senior Commanders - Colonel Kazimierz Wiśniowski, 2 Polish Corps Chief of Staff
11Senior Commanders - Colonel Stanisław Skowroński, 2 Polish Corps Quartermaster
12Senior Commanders - Colonel Mieczysław Zaleski, Commanding Officer 2 Polish Corps Signals Units
13Senior Commanders - Colonel Konstanty Skąpski, Commanding Officer 2 Polish Corps Engineering Units
14-749Headquarters 2 Corps Staff
750Headquarters 2 Corps Staff –Melchior Wańkowicz, War Correspondent
751-1102Killed in Action 3 Carpathian Rifle Division
1103-2043Officers 3 Carpathian Rifle Division
2044-14702Other Ranks listed Alphabetically 3 Carpathian Rifle Division
14703-14750Not Awarded
14751-152465 Kresowa Infantry Division Headquarters Staff
15247-15375Headquarters Staff 5 Wilno Infantry Brigade
15376-1613613 Wilno Rifle Battalion
16137-1687814 Wilno Rifle Battalion
16879-1761515 Wilno Rifle Battalion
17616-17743Headquarters Staff 6 Lwow Infantry Brigade
17744-1847716 Lwow Rifle Battalion
18478-1920617 Lwow Rifle Battalion
19207-1993818 Lwow Rifle Battalion
19939-206564 Light Artillery Regiment
20657-213625 Light Artillery Regiment
21363-220276 Light Artillery Regiment
22028-226545 Anti-Tank Regiment
22655-235545 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
23555-2443815 Poznan Lancer Regiment
24439-251305 Heavy Machine Gun Battalion
25131-260195 Engineers Battalion 5KDP
26020-265265 Signals Battalion
26527-267705 Sanitary (Medical) Company
26771-270166 Sanitary (Medical) Company
27017-27059Command Supply and Transport Units
27060-273245 Supply Company
27325-275836 Supply Company
27584-2796615 Supply Company
27967-2830716 Supply Company
28308-284435 Workshop Company [5 EME Coy.]
28444-285866 Workshop Company [6 EME Coy.]
28587-286915 Provost (Military Police) Squadron [Coy.]
28692-287336 Light Artillery Regiment
28734-2873915 Poznan Lancer Regiment
28751-28975Headquarters 2nd Warsaw Armoured Brigade
28976-28987On secondment to 2nd Armoured Brigade
28988Headquarters 2nd Warsaw Armoured Brigade
28989-296724 Skorpion Armoured Regiment
29673-303281 Krechowiecki Lancer Regiment
30329-309926th Children of Lwów Armoured Regiment
30993-311889 Signals Company
31189-313859 Light Sanitary (Medical) Company
31386-319099 Supply Company
31910-321059 Workshop Company [9 EME Coy.]
32106-322469 Forward Tank Replacement Squadron [Coy.]
32247-322696 Field Court, 2nd Armoured Brigade
32270-32300Not Awarded
32301-32332Command, 2nd Artillery Group
32333-32361Staff, Counter-Battery Section
32362-330507 Horse Artillery Regiment
33051-330557 Horse Artillery Regiment - Wounded
33056-330577 Horse Artillery Regiment - Killed in Action
33058-337599 Medium Artillery Regiment
33760-337679 Medium Artillery Regiment - Killed in Action/Died of Wounds
33768-3436410 Medium Artillery Regiment
33765-3436710 Medium Artillery Regiment - Wounded
33768-3437410 Medium Artillery Regiment – Killed in Action
34375-3493611 Medium Artillery Regiment
34937-3494011 Medium Artillery Regiment - Wounded 27/4 to 11/5/45
34941-3494511 Medium Artillery Regiment - Killed in Action/Died of Wounds
34946-3494911 Medium Artillery Regiment
34950-34951Command, 2nd Artillery Group
34952-34960Not Awarded
34961-34978Command, 2 Corps Artillery
34979-356317 Anti-Tank Regiment
35632-356577 Anti-Tank Regiment - Killed
35658-365437 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
36544-375188 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment
37519-380831 Artillery Survey Regiment
38084-38655Carpathian Lancer Regiment
38656Colonel Henryk Ignacy Szymanski (USA) US Army Liaison
38657-38760Carpathian Lancer Regiment
38761-38776Command, 2 Corps Engineers
38777-3969710 Battalion, Corps Engineers [10 Polish Corps Troops Engineers]
39698-4004310 Bridging Company
40044-40297301 Engineering Company
40298-40370304 Mechanical Equipment Platoon
40371-4039810 Bomb Disposal Platoon
40399-40420306 Engineering Park
40421-40438Command, Army Signals 2 Corps
40439-4105211 Signals Battalion
41053-410612 Corps Signals Traffic Control Team
41062-41111Corps Artillery Fire Control Signals Platoon
41112-41167Command, Corps Artillery Group Signals Platoon
41168-4123411 Special Radiotelegraphic Platoon
41235-4124512 Special information Platoon
41246-41280386 Signals Platoon
41281-41320389 Medium Radio Platoon
41321-413382 Corps Signals Park
41339-41371Seconded from 7 Inf.Div for Telephone Network Security
41372-41440Air Support Signals Section
41441-41446Aerial Photographic Interpretation Section
41447-41449Heads of 2 Corps Medical Services
41450-416153 Casualty Clearing Station [stationed at Venafro]
41616-417835 Casualty Clearing Station [stationed at Pozzilli]
41784-42159161 Military Hospital [later 2 Military Hospital - stationed at Campobasso]
42160-42171Aerial Photographic Interpretation Section
42172-42328162 Military Hospital [also known as 6 Field Hospital - stationed at Venafro]
42329-427361 Military Hospital [later 5 Military Hospital - stationed at Casamassima]
42737-431693 Military Hospital [stationed at Palagiano]
43170-4341531 Sanitary (Medical) Company
43416-4344332 Field Hygiene Platoon
43444-4345134 Anti-Malaria Section
43452-4346045 Surgical Team
43461-4347046 Surgical Team
43471-4348047 Surgical Team
43481-4348948 Surgical Team
43490-4349349 Transfusion Team
43494-4349750 Transfusion Team
43498-43514341 Field Medical Dump
43515-43520Field Bacteriological-Chemical Unit
43521-43541Heads, Supply and Transport Services
43542-43589Command, 2 Corps Supply & Transport Units
43590-4386321 Transport Company
43864Brigadier Sir E H C Frith (UK) C.O. 26 British Liaison Unit
43865-4397021 Transport Company
43971-4440322 Transport Company
44404-4476823 Transport Company
44769-4515924 Transport Company
45160-4536929 Ambulance Company
45370-4541930 Independent Workshop Platoon
45420-45459326 Supply Dump
45460-45501327 Supply Dump
45502-45539328 Supply Dump
45540-4561761 Anti-Aircraft Artillery Supply Unit
45618-4571562 Anti-Aircraft Artillery Supply Unit
45716-45777331 Mobile Field Bakery
45778-45843332 Mobile Field Bakery
45844–45884334 Propellant Fuel Dump
45885-45912336 Office Materials Dump
45913-45923Delegation of Head of Field Canteens
45924-45973318 Field Canteen and Mobile Library Company
45974-45986Command, 26 Field [Forward] Supply Centre
45987-45999Command, 27 Field [Forward] Supply Centre
46000-46012Command, 28 Field [Forward] Supply Centre
46013-46026Heads, Corps Material Services
46027-46045Heads of Non-divisional Material Service Units
46046-46207Command, Corps Material Park
46208-46251Material Parks Delivery Platoon
46252-46257Field Officers shop
46258-46269Field Ammunitions Laboratory
46270-46377350 Material Company Supply Station
46378-46480375 Field Laundry
46481-46496377 Field Bath
46497-46515378 Field Bath
46516-46527Heads of Corps Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Service
46528-4669313 Workshop Company [13 EME Coy.]
46694-4687215 Workshop Company [15 EME Coy.]
46873-4712335 Workshop Company [35 EME Coy.]
47124-47127Corps Ordinance Workshop
47128-4729436 Rescue Company
47295-47303Heads of Geographical Services
47304-4745512 Geographical Company
47456-47475312 Field Map Store
47476-47484Command 2 Corps Provost (Military Police)
47485-4764811 Provost (Military Police) Squadron [Coy.]
47649-476591 Provost (Military Police) Platoon
47660-476762 Provost (Military Police) Platoon
47677-47756Command, Army Service Corps Units
47757-47958Guard Battalion
47959-47966Heads, Justice Service
47967-4799412 Field Court
47995-48006Office of War Graves Registration
48007-48046370 Evacuated Equipment Park
48047-48089371 Evacuated Equipment Park
48090-48135372 Evacuated Equipment Park
48136-481492 Corps Inspectorate for Control of Technical Equipment
48150-48151Heads, Field Postal Service
48152-481712 Corps Field Postal Department
48172-481782 Corps Military Censors Office
48179-482162 Corps Meteorological Section
48217-48230Command, 2 Corps Financial Service [Paycorps]
48231-482572 Corps Press and Culture Office
48258-48263Press and Culture Office, non-divisional units
48264-48272Command Station No.1
48273-48290Smoke Screen Unit
48291-48293Soldiers’ Welfare Section
48294-48355Concert and Entertainment Section
48356-48385Reserve Liaison and Translator Officers
48386-48399111 Bridge Security Company
48400-48407Health Service Inspectorate, Women's Auxiliary Service (Poland)
48408-48498Independent Commando Company
48499-48505Headquarters 2 Corps Staff
48506-48514Cipher Office and Radio Station
48515-485177 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
485187 Anti-Tank Regiment
48519301 Engineering Company
48520389 Medium Radio Platoon
48521-485232 Provost (Military Police) Platoon
48524Heads, Supply and Transport Services
48525-48526
48527-4852924 Transport Company
48530-4853129 Ambulance Company
48532-48535318 Field Canteen and Mobile Library Company
4853635 Workshop Company [35 EME Coy.]
4853713 Workshop Company [13 EME Coy.]
48538-485405 Military Hospital (Previously 1 Military Hospital)
48541-48542162 Military Hospital
48543161 Military Hospital
48544-48547111 Bridge Security Company
48548-48553Headquarters 2 Corps Staff
48554-48580Aerial Photographic Interpretation Section
485818 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment
48582-48583Smoke Screen Unit
48584-485853 Casualty Clearing Station
4858631 Sanitary (Medical) Company
48587-48597Guard Battalion
48598-48600Headquarters 2 Corps Staff
48601-486875 Kresowa Infantry Division (Various) Added after 22.2.1945
48688-48691Headquarters 2 Corps Staff
486922 Corps Signals Traffic Control Team
48693Carpathian Lancer Regiment
48694-48696Heads of 2 Corps Medical Services
48697-48710Heads, Supply and Transport Services
48711-48715Heads of Corps Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Service
48716-48720Command, Army Service Corps Units
48721-48749
48750-48759Headquarters 2 Corps Staff
487607 Anti-Tank Regiment
487611 Artillery Survey Regiment
48762-48796Convalescent Home (2 Battalion)
48797Heads, Supply and Transport Services
48798Heads, Corps Material Service
48799-48821Guard Battalion
48822-488232 Corps Press and Culture Office
48824-48830
48831663 Artillery Observation Air Squadron
48832
488337 Anti-Tank Regiment
48834-48845
48846Convalescent Home (2 Battalion)
488478 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment
The units listed above are not the official British War Office designations, but rather a close translated version taken from the Polish.
This information was brought to you courtesy of Andrzej Sankowski, and The Polish Institute and General Sikorski Museum. It was compiled by Dr. Mark Ostrowski. Recent research has established that the initial figures cited above were miscalculated and in fact the last known cross given to a named recipient was 48847. The complete list of named recipients is at thePolish Institute and Sikorski Museum in FileAXII/85/214, Folders 1-19.