[History] My Polish grandfather’s dogtags. An officer before the war, he was deported by the Soviets to work in a mine. On release, he joined the 2nd Polish Corps and fought at Monte Cassino. After the war, he worked in a mill in Bradford. He died in 1974, aged 67. I never met him.

7 comments

1. A lot of interesting details in replies.

2. Too bad you didn’t have a chance to meet him. He must have been a though guy💪

3. Yep. Almost identical to my grandfather’s story. Gulag in Siberia, joined Ander’s army and fought at Monte Cassino. Worked in a factory after the war, died at 57 in 1975, and I never met him.

4. Do you have any further knowledge of the brigade he was in?

5. Kinda interesting that they look like an actual dog license

6. Similar story with my grandfather. Served with Anders and fought at Monte Cassino. Very interesting guy, I was lucky enough to get to know him before he passed in 2010.

7. This is interesting, I have some pictures of my polish great grandfather who was a surgeon in this same army the fourth assault on Monte Casino. He couldn’t go back to his home after the war because the family lands were under Russian control.

   His son, who never wanted to study just gambled, swore, smoked and drank with the villagers became a photo reporter, was taken to Siberia and actually escaped by walking back to Warsaw as a traveling bard. Passed for a Russian so I guess the drinking and swearing came in handy. He died in 72 from lung cancer and I never met him. Hell of a character, not many escaped from the gulag.