Tower and Town, November 2025 (view the full edition)A Soldier Lost, A Nation SacrificedNearly 180,000 Polish service personnel escaped Poland during the Second World War and served with the Polish Free Forces. Far from home, they fought to defeat Nazi Germany. 'Plutonowy' (Platoon Leader) Jozef Jablecki was one such soldier.
Jozef served in the 5th (Polish) Anti-Aircraft Artillery (5th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment), which (with its 40mm anti aircraft guns) was part of the 5th Kresowa Infantry Division, II Polish Corps. The Division was formed in March 1943 in the Middle East. It was composed of three infantry brigades, supporting arms, and critical divisional artillery - including the 5th Kresowa Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment. He saw combat in Italy as part of General Anders' II Polish Corps, known as 'Anders Army.' The division famously had a bear named 'Private' Wojtek, who was fed with diluted condensed milk via an old vodka bottle. He quickly grew huge, weighing 250 kg and loved wrestling with soldiers, without harm. In May 1944, the Division suffered 15% casualties in the Battle of Monte Cassino. Jablecki was awarded the Monte Cassino Cross, a medal awarded only to those soldiers of the Polish II Corps who fought in the battle. He took part in further actions at Ancona, with operations leading up to and along the Gothic Line, then the final Spring 1945 offensive to capture Bologna. After active service in Italy, the 5th Kresowa Division remained as part of the occupation forces. By then, the Soviet Union had occupied Poland. The despair was evident in this 'order of the day' from Brigadier General Sulik, Commander 5th Kresowa Infantry Division, 9 April 1945: The danger is great, those who have found themselves again enslaved by the violence of Russian imperialism. The danger is becoming widespread and threatens others. SOLDIERS . We did not fight for a change of occupant. The relentless war waged against the Polish Nation has not ended." May 1946 saw the Division transported to Britain, and later disbanded in 1947. Many personnel, facing the new realities of post-war Poland, chose to remain in the UK as part of the Polish Resettlement Corps. Plutonowy Jablekcki tragically died on 5 December 1946 at the Savernake Hospital. As a Sergeant, likely based at RAF Ramsbury, his death came from a fracture at the base of his skull, sustained by misadventure when thrown from an Army truck which had turned over. He is buried at St Katharine's Church. A soldier far from his family, his comrades, his country. |
