World War II medals
Written and Researched by Nadia Larsen and Margaret Sypniewska, B.F.A.
The Defense medal was for three years service in the UK between September 3, 1939 and May 8, 1945, and overseas units until August 15, 1945.
The medal for full-time personal of the British armed forces was given irrespective of place or service, for 28 days operational or non operational service.
These two medals I (Nadia Larsen) received on behalf of my father from the British Ministry of Defense. My father, Romuald Dabrowski never claimed them, because he didn't want anyone to know that he was in Israel. My father received another award for being a Nazi fighter (in Israel he went by Roman):
From March 15, 1939 to April 30, 1941, ten countries -- Czechoslovakia, Poland, Norway, Demark, Luxenbourg, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Yugoslavia, and Greece --- were defeated in campaigns in which Nazi Germany deployed revolutionary techniques of mobile warfare, confirming it as a predominant European military power (Thomas, 3).
The Polish-Soviet Pact of July 30, 1941 allowed Lt. General Anders to form a "Polish Army on the USSR," at Buzuluk in the Urals, establishing the August the 5th - 6th Infantry Divions and later cadres for the 7th - 10th Infantry Divisions. From March to August 1942, the Soviets allowed Anders to evacuate his 70,000 men to British occupied Iran, then to Iraq, where on October 5th "Kresowa" 6th "Lvov" and the 7th Infantry Dvisions were reformed. Meanwhile the Independent Carpathian Brigade, which garrisoned Tobruk from August 18, 1941 0 March 1942, reformed in Palestine in May as the 3rd Carpathian Rifle Division. It joined the 5th Division and Tank Brigade (formed May 1942). The 2nd Polish Corps was established on July 6, 1943 in Iran and in Palestine by joining the 22nd Artillery Supply Company.
This document basically states:
You are hereby given the right to wear this Medal of Nazi Fighter.
Romuald hated the Communists and the Nazis because they both destroyed his life. Communism ended in 1989 in Poland, and 1991, in Russia. My father died four years too soon to see this happen.
SOURCES:
Fitzsimmons (editor), Bernard. Heraldry & Regalia of War. London: BPC Publishing Ltd., 1973.
Nigel, Thomas. Foreign Volunteers of the Allied Forces, 1939-45 . London: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1991 (Men-at-Arms Series), 238.
Zaloga, Steven J. The Polish Army 1939-45. London: Osprey, 1996.
This page was last updated on August 1, 2006
