Hello, Can anyone help on how I go about obtaining any medals my father would have got in WW2? He crossed Europe after invasion, and was in France, with forces in UK/Scotland, and at Narvik. He is still alive.
We are in Melbourne, Australia. Migrated from UK in late 60's. Have no real contact with any family in Poland. All 2 or 3 times removed now.
Id imagine you would have to contact the relevant ministry of defense etc and the branch of armed forces he served in to get records (true and fair) that he actually served.
So if it was the Polish army lets say, you'd need to contact them, giving them your fathers service number, name, unit, etc, etc (as he is still alive he will be able to provide you these basic bits of information.
Once done, the branch of the military concerned shall provide the information (not sure how long that will take btw) and you will then need to contact the respective ministry (of defense, of war, or whatever it is)
But first off, you need your fathers details;
Country served for, Branch served in (army, navy, etc) Brigade, Unit, Section, Service Number, These are the basics they will ask you for.
Thanks for answering. No he hasn't lost them, he didn't collect them before and now he is recent widower and nostalgic. I know basically every Polish soldier who went to Narvik got a 'Polish Forces in the West' cross. There may be others...he thinks he got some 'bravery medal'....but 94 so may not be so clear. Cheers, Paul
pdv8 - if he was demobbed in the UK you can deal with them - if there is need to get involved with Polish then - the UK records would be able to give you the direct contacts - this would save you much time. and im very sure someone here would be willing to translate a request letter for you when you know who and what you need to send
APC Polish Enquiries Building 28B RAF Northolt Westend Road Rusilip Middlesex HA4 6NG England Phone: (44) 0208-833860
To obtain the war records of Polish soldier that fought alongside the Allies in World War 2, (eg, the 2nd Polish Corpus (Anders Army), attached to the British 8th Army in Persia, Palestine and Italy), write to the British Army records office. Send details of your relationship to the soldier in question and the possible units and dates of service.
well i have been doing the same thing now for the last 5 years. i got my grandfathers records from the uk and they gave me his british medals. these records will also tell you what medals the polish would have given him. however i have been told that poland has stopped giving out any medals since 2000. the only way to get them now is to buy them off a dealer. i have found out that there are a lot of fake medals out there. if you want the real thing be prepared to pay big money for them. good luck
Received a letter from Ministry of Defence APC Polish Enquires dated 11 December 2003 stating that Dad was entitled to: Polish: Cross of Monte Cassino No. 13013, Cross of Valour, Army Medal British: 1939-45 Star. Italy Star. Defence Medal, The War Medal 1939-45 We are searching for a form CS20 to apply for these Medals. (Apparently form was lost in Dad's last move). URGENT Dad is in very poor health. Thank you for any assistance.
Sorry, but I registered in the forum just to give the bad news. I have inherited from my deceased uncle his polish medals, and decided to see if he still had medals to be claimed. After dozens of emais sent to many institucions, I was told to email a man called Roman Stefanski (roman.stefanski@udskior.gov.pl), who told me that granting medals was only possible until may/9/1999.
Hi-Try and contact HONOURS and AWARDS at your local Veterans Affairs, or Department of National Defence. Tell them your father`s name, Official Number-Sevice Number, Date of Enlistment, etc.
You should get them!!!
Tell your father-Thank you very much for the FREEDOM, that I-Brian Murza, has today!!!!!!!!
Brian Murza R-33894777, W.W.II Naval Researcher/Author, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. murzabrian@yahoo.ca
Merged: Obtaining unclaimed Medals my grandfather was Entitled to!
Hello
I received a letter from the Polish M.O.D in London. My grandfather hadn't claimed a Medal he was entitled to,it was the BRITISH WAR MEDAL 1939-45....It has now been received which is fantastic,However,at the bottom of the letter it states
"turning now to the Polish awards,he was entitled to the POLISH MEDAL WOJSKA( army medal) and the CROSS FOR VALOUR( krzyz walecznych ). The issue of the Polish medals are outside the province of the British authorities, However you can buy one from the addresses below;"
Does anyone know where or how i could get the original ones! I don't want replacement ones....and it is a shame they wasn't issued to him:(
Its the Polish Embassy...where servicemens army papers are kept! i got the Army papers from there and while they were getting them out,they realized that my grandfather didn't receive 3 medals! now i have 1 from them but need 2 more:)
No such thing as an origional one,they didnt make them all , name them up and then leave them in a big box for 70 years.
I know its not the same but, you can buy the medals from militaria dealers, there is no *shame* in this or any sense of it being *wrong*,plenty of Ex and serving soldiers buy replacement or miniture medals this way.
Oh, and Harry, I have personally met the Polish military attache,a full Colonal if you must know,so there is very definatly a Polish military presence in London :)
Tessa, I've pm'd you the contact details of a friend of mine who offers a medal mounting and display service for a very good price, he also deals in medals and has many contacts so may be able to find the *missing* ones you require :)
Merged: The Polish Army Medal - they are no longer issuing them posthumously?
I always knew my grandfather was a serving solider and now in my late 40's have investigated his service - found out he was entitled to UK The War Medal1939 -1945 and in the process of claiming it
he was also entitled to rge Polish Army Medal - is it correct they are no longer issuing them posthumously?
It is possible to receive a posthumous medal in Poland but it's not easy process and it's given rather in some specific circumstances. I'll give you a quote roughly translated from Presidential website:
Orders and decorations may be awarded posthumously, however request for a medal of meritorious deceased persons can be apply exceptionally - in recognition of some special and commemoration-worthy service for the Polish Republic.
Looker - thnaks for you message - nothing particularly meriorious about his service - but as many others did - he served and helped us all enjoy what we do currently - I think i will look to e bay or a meal trader and get something in his memory
Hi bilWalker My father served on the ORP Blyskawica during WW2 he was in the Royal Navy long story,I collect Polish Medals and deal with a few people in Poland also going there myself now and againg to ponder the local markets if you need help finding any medal giv me a call madpet@blueyonder.co.uk
HI If you have not had any luck on your father.s medals i may be able to help 5 years ago i got my fathers he was in the 1st polish armoured regt stationed in Duns scotland but sadly killed after landing in france on d day in 1944 i was 6 months old i recieved the british war medal the 39 star and the france and germany star your father will be entitled to the same medals but instead of the france and germany he would recieve the atlantic star for services in norway the defence medal was not given to the poles unless killed for some reason this is the address i contacted the lady in charge who was very help full and even sent me photos which i could copy then return.
ADDRESS: WAR OFFICE ARMY RECORD,S(POLISH SECTION) NATIONAL ARCHIVES, KEW ,RICHMOND, SURREY,TW94DU, PHONE 02088763444 I made contact by phone as it was easier but there is possibly a website if you type in what i have gave you ,
Where would I be able to find my fathers wartime service number he was Polish and on The Convoy. PQ16 to Murmansk and Archangel (1942)
My Polish father ( late) was on the ORP Garland a destroyer accompanying food parcels to Archangel and Murmansk in1942 on Convoy PQ16. I have a certificate to show my dads permission in July 1944 to land in Britain. What I don't have is his Naval Service number . Any ideas how I can obtain this. He subsequently lived in Edinburgh where we were brought up
My father served in Narvik, Beisfjord & Ankenes In the 1940 campaign With the Brygada Strzelcow Podhalanskich. I have his two medals & ribbon Contact me @ john3ly@btintetnet.com @ I'll send you Photos
Michal Piekny French number 12719 British number 12060
How do I get Polish medals for this army vet fought at Narvik and in Brittany under French command then with Britain.Has British medals but missing,Polish,French and perhaps Norway.
I have been in touch with a lady by the name of Margaret Goddard who has a connection with the MOD in the U.K. I sent her a copy of the certificate that was issued with the medal that my grandfather received. The certificate has a number of issue and the date it was issued was in 1948. I also sent a copy of a letter that my grandfather wrote that states what units he was with and the time frame he was with each unit.
Usually, how long does it take to respond to such a request? My grandfather never served with the Polish Armed Forces outside of Poland during the 2nd world war. Since the certificate appears to have been issued from the U.K. I am hoping they may limited information on service records.
My late father-in-law served in the Polish army in WWII. I have his army papers, one of which lists his medals. However we only have 2 out of the 5. We would like to obtain the missing ones, any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Good evening, my great grandad was polish navy in ww2 and got captured and sent to pow camp , escaped and joined the foreign legion a fought with them then got captured again back to a pow camp, escaped to the uk and joined the navy on motor torpedo boats, he never spoke about it and don't have a service number but had to explain why he was covered in scars from the pow camps and died young when he came back , just wondering on where to start ? We only have his name and a picture . Thanks
