I have several documents stating my late father military assignment during 1937-39 when he was captured was Gunman 2 Air Division A.P.L. and 2e Regt. artillerie. He stated he fired 75mm cannons. What is the A.P.L.? and can the assignment be determined if in the air force or army? Is there anywhere to get his military records in Poland?
29th Regiment of Light Artillery. A filed artillery unit of the 29th Infantry Division. Both from Grodno but 2nd Battalion was not a part of 29th Division, at least not in the peace time.
Can anybody help I'm looking for info on 10pac a reserve Heavy Artillery Battalion attached to 10 Infantry Division. My Grandfather (Captain) Emil Klausner served in 10pac and somehow returned to his hometown in Przemysl and was arrested by the NKVD on 10/12/1939 and sent to Starobielsk (he appears on the list of those executed in Mord y Katynu. Any info on the activity of 10pac and 10 Infantry Division would be appreciated.
Hi I am trying to trace details of my grandfather's army record. He was a Ukrainian but served in the 29th Polish Field Artillery Division he was a reservist and held the rank of second leftenant. My father told me that when the Germany invaded he was called away and that he was captured by the Germans. My father thinks he was sent to a camp somewhere near Denmark? Is there anywhere in Poland that I could find this information.
Thank you for this forum. Oral histories of this time period are critical to record. My dad told me many stories about Hitler invading Poland on his birthday, September 1, 1939. He had to walk back to Warsaw that day from his celebrations in the countryside. The Germans bombed all the train tracks in and out of the city. He fought as a youth volunteer for a week or so then escaped with his father by car to Roumania where they were put in a refugee camp. They escaped the camp after hearing of Roumania siding with the Nazis, traveled by night and headed to France for a short period in 1940 and then escaped France on the last boat to England. Both my father and grandfather joined the Polish Army in England. My grandfather was in the Polish Government in Exile. My father was an officer in the Polish Army under British Command. He was in the first unit under Maciej (Macek). He told me stories of target practice in the sand traps at St. Andrews Golf Course in Edinburgh, Scotland. Also building bunkers. I think I remember that his unit went to Normandy. There is a local Polish Club in Sacramento, CA. There are many members in their 90s including one gentlemen, Frank Jasinski who was in the second unit under Anders in North Africa. He is or was active in keeping Polish Military records in the US. I think I remember Frank telling me that there were many casualties in France with Maciej's unit. He would be a good contact if he is still active.
My brother and I are looking for our Polish Grandfather!
My father's real father is a polish soldier who fought in and around Eindhoven, where he met my grandmother and they have a son together (my father). The name of the polish soldier is Alexander Packenträger. We only have a name, my grandmother never wanted to talk about it until only recently. Do you have lists of names of the batallions that fought in and around Eindhoven? (the Netherlands). I really hope you can help us!
Having done a quick bit of Googling for the Poles in Eindhoven, I came up with the Polish Parachute Brigade, Third Battalion. They were only in the area for a couple of weeks during which time they lost 400 men. Here's a link to more details:
derekcrowe.com/post.aspx?id=153
The records for the Polish servicemen fighting with the British have been held by the British Ministry of Defence since the war but are now in the process of being transferred to Poland. However your grandfather's records, if they have any for him, may still be accessible.
The surname you mention may suggest either German or Jewish origin. There's an article on Wiki about an Aleksander Packentrager but it doesn't mention Eindhoven. It does mention places in Germany, though.
I would say it's quite likely a Jewish name. Doesn't sound particularly Polish and I see from the Wiki article that the Alexander Pakentreger mentioned in it was born in Kalisz where there was a Jewish community. There's a book about the Jews of Kalisz though it's written as Kalish in the title.
The man from the article was Jewish. Pakentreger doesn't seem to be a very popular surname in Poland. There's also a site with two of his photos. It contains information from the IPN ...
Quite likely a Jew although one can't be sure by the last name alone. The wiki guy was fighting on the eastern front so I doubt he was anywhere close to Eindhoven before the end of WW2.
My father was S.P.R. Art 4 bat. It was listed as previous service on the card while in Anders Army in Russia. I am not sure if they are referring to his previous experience in Poland during the September campaign or his service in Anders Army while in Russia. Any ideas what S.P.R Art is located?
I am guessing that you will also need to provide proof of relationship, and possibly a copy of his death certificate in order to get his military records.
Have a look also at this link: polandinexile.com/addresses.html
All the relevant addresses both in the UK and Poland are contained here. Hopefully they will be of some help. Good luck in your search!
I doubt this site would hold Polish military records to be honest. I think your best bet would be to e-mail the MOD with his name. They hold records from 1939 - 1946 on Polish military personnel and will be able to tell you if they have him on file. If they do, there is a good chance that units and rank etc will be held on file. My position is slightly different to yours, but I obtained my ancestor's military records from the MOD, and all the information was in them, rank, different army units, the lot. Give them as much information as possible. If he is listed and you want to go ahead, there is a charge and you have to prove relationship to him. I had to provide a copy of a death certificate.
Do you have any more information on him at all?
The Polish II Corps was made up from many different units, scroll down for a full list: polandinexile.com/icrb.html
Also, have a look at this site, you never know, you might find his name listed: polishexilesofww2.org/archival-lists-polish-2nd-corps
Dear Ursula, What a surprise to read your response! So nice of you! Sorry for responding so late. I am looking for my polish grandfather. My father (Hans van Rijsewijk) was born on October, 16th 1946 in Eindhoven, which is a place in the south of the Netherlands. When my father wanted to marry my mother, he found out that the man who he fought was his father, was not his biological father. My grandmother never wanted to tell the name of his biological father, up until recently. She told my brother that his name was Aleksander Pakentreger, he was polish and jewish and older than her (my grandmother was born in 1924). So I was checking the Internet and the only man with this name I found was your father. I also found his interview with the Steven Spielberg foundation. The interview is in Polish, but I have a colleague from Poland, she listened to the tapes. She told me about what he said in the interview, but that he didn't want to talk about the period 1944-1947, because it was private. This is exactly the period, that he could have had a relationship with my grandmother, Martha Rijkers. Did your father ever tell you about that period? Did he tell you, he had a child in the Netherlands? For my father it is very important to know who his father is. I know your father passed away (my condolences for that), but maybe you are willing to tell my father something?
Thank you so much!! I am really looking forward to hear from you again!! Kind regards, Sasja van Rijsewijk s.m.van.rijsewijk@kpnmail.nl
Hi i'm trying to trace military records for my grandfather unfortunately with very limited information. his name was Alojzy Michalczyk and I know he was a private in the army, and that he came to the uk with the polish army during world war 2. Are there any searchable lists where I might be able to find his records?
@Henry22850 dear henry, this is maja rath, wladislaw rath's daughter. we met in london a long time ago. please contact me at: rath(pleaseremove)@chello.at
Researching The Polish Armed Forces in the East (Polskie Siły Zbrojne na Wschodzie)
Hello, I am researching my grandfather who was a Podporucznik in the Polish army in the USSR and fought with them during WWII. I have had trouble figuring out his military past and I'm wondering if anybody here has any idea on how to research a soldier from that army. Files, Records, Medals, Etc, Anything that would help.
If you do find something that would help me in researching my grandfather then I will be really thankful and glad. :)
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