Monte Cassino Commemorative Cross

The Monte Cassino Commemorative Cross () is a commemorative medal awarded to all soldiers of the Polish II Corps who fought in the battle of Monte Cassino and the battles for Piedimonte and Passo Corno. After the capture of Monte Cassino in May 1944, the Polish government-in-exile (in London) created a campaign cross to commemorate the role of the Polish II Corps (often known as Anders Army) in capturing this strategic point, which had long blocked the Allied advance up the Italian peninsula.

A consignment of 50,000 crosses was ordered from a manufacturer in Tel Aviv, then part of British-ruled Palestine, where the Polish forces had spent part of 1942 and almost all of 1943 in training. A total of 48,498 crosses (serial numbers 1 to 48,498) were awarded with accompanying award documents issued in the field to each soldier who took part in the battle. Although it is commonly believed that no master record exists to indicate which serial numbers were given to specific soldiers, records do indicate which blocks of serial numbers were given to units within the Polish II Corps. Furthermore, the actual lists of named cross recipients are held at the Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum.

The 1502 un-awarded crosses (serial numbers 48,499 to 50,000) were eventually sold off to dealers and collectors. At the moment of its institution in June 1944, the medal was 19th in the Polish order of precedence.

Recipients by Unit
The Monte Cassino Commemorative Cross was issued to the following units:
CROSS No.   UNIT

1 Senior Commanders - General Władysław Anders, General Officer Commanding 2 Polish Corps 
2 Senior Commanders - General  Zygmunt Bohusz-Szyszko,  Deputy General Officer Commanding 2 Polish Corps  
3 Senior Commanders - Bishop Józef Gawlina, Polish Army Field Bishop 
4 Senior Commanders - General  Bolesław Bronisław Duch,  General Officer Commanding    3 Carpathian Rifle Division   
5 Senior Commanders - General  Nikodem Sulik, General Officer Commanding  5 Kresowa Infantry Division    
6 Senior Commanders - General Bronisław Rakowski, General Officer Commanding  2 Armoured Brigade    
7 Senior Commanders - General  Roman Odzierzyński General Officer Commanding 2 Polish Corps Artillery
8  Senior Commanders - General  Prof. Dr  Bolesław Szarecki, General Officer Commanding  2 Polish Corps Medical Services 
9 Senior Commanders - Colonel Dr. Ludwik Ząbkowski, Commanding Officer 2 Artillery Group, 2 Polish Corps 
10  Senior Commanders - Colonel Kazimierz Wiśniowski,  2 Polish Corps Chief of Staff
11 Senior Commanders - Colonel Stanisław Skowroński, 2 Polish Corps Quartermaster
12 Senior Commanders - Colonel Mieczysław Zaleski, Commanding Officer 2 Polish Corps Signals Units 
13 Senior Commanders - Colonel Konstanty Skąpski, Commanding Officer 2 Polish Corps Engineering Units				 
14-749          Headquarters 2 Corps Staff   						 
750            Headquarters 2 Corps Staff – Melchior Wańkowicz, War Correspondent    
751-1102       Killed in Action 3 Carpathian Rifle Division  	 				 
1103-2043     Officers 3 Carpathian Rifle Division    				 	 
2044-14702   Other Ranks listed Alphabetically 3 Carpathian Rifle Division     
14703-14750 Not Awarded 	 
14751-15246 5 Kresowa Infantry Division Headquarters Staff 				 
15247-15375 Headquarters Staff 5 Wilno Infantry Brigade        				 
15376-16136 13 Wilno Rifle Battalion	 						 
16137-16878 14 Wilno Rifle Battalion 	 						 
16879-17615 15 Wilno Rifle Battalion    						 
17616-17743 Headquarters Staff 6 Lwow Infantry Brigade      			 
17744-18477 16 Lwow Rifle Battalion 							 
18478-19206 17 Lwow Rifle Battalion 							 
19207-19938 18 Lwow Rifle Battalion 							 
19939-20656 4 Light Artillery Regiment	 	 				   
20657-21362 5 Light Artillery Regiment	 	 				   
21363-22027 6 Light Artillery Regiment	 	 				   
22028-22654 5 Anti-Tank Regiment         	 					   
22655-23554 5 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment    						   
23555-24438 15 Poznan lancer Regiment	 						   
24439-25130 5 Heavy Machine Gun Battalion     	           					   
25131-26019 5 Engineers Battalion 5KDP     						 
26020-26526 5 Signals Battalion      						 
26527-26770 5 Sanitary (Medical) Company    	 				  
26771-27016 6 Sanitary (Medical) Company      				  
27017-27059 Command Supply and Transport Units    				   
27060-27324 5 Supply Company   		 					
27325-27583 6 Supply Company   							  
27584-27966 15 Supply Company    							  
27967-28307 16 Supply Company     							  
28308-28443 5 Workshop Company [5 EME Coy.]   					  
28444-28586 6 Workshop Company [6 EME Coy.]    					  
28587-28691 5 Provost (Military Police) Squadron [Coy.]     				   
28692-28733 6 Light Artillery Regiment 	 						   
28734-28739 15 Poznan Lancer Regiment	 	 					   
28751-28975 Headquarters 2nd Warsaw Armoured Brigade  	 				 
28976-28987 On secondment to 2nd Armoured Brigade       				 
28988             Headquarters 2nd Warsaw Armoured Brigade    				 
28989-29672 4 Skorpion Armoured Regiment   					 
29673-30328 1 Krechowiecki Lancer Regiment  	 					 
30329-30992 6th Children of Lwów Armoured Regiment   				 
30993-31188 9 Signals Company    							 
31189-31385 9 Light Sanitary (Medical) Company   	 					 
31386-31909 9 Supply Company  	 	 						 
31910-32105 9 Workshop Company [9 EME Coy.]  	  					 
32106-32246 9 Forward Tank Replacement Squadron [Coy.]   				 
32247-32269 6 Field Court, 2nd Armoured Brigade           				 
32270-32300 Not Awarded 
32301-32332 Command, 2nd Artillery Group    						 
32333-32361 Staff, Counter-Battery Section   						 
32362-33050 7 Horse Artillery Regiment    
33051-33055 7 Horse Artillery Regiment - Wounded   
33056-33057 7 Horse Artillery Regiment - Killed in Action  						   
33058-33759 9 Medium Artillery Regiment   						       
33760-33767 9 Medium Artillery Regiment - Killed in Action/Died of Wounds     		          
33768-34364 10 Medium Artillery Regiment    	
33765-34367 10 Medium Artillery Regiment - Wounded   	
33768-34374 10 Medium Artillery Regiment – Killed in Action  	
34375-34936 11 Medium Artillery Regiment    						      
34937-34940 11 Medium Artillery Regiment - Wounded 27/4 to 11/5/45 		 
34941-34945 11 Medium Artillery Regiment - Killed in Action/Died of Wounds
34946-34949 11 Medium Artillery Regiment    
34950-34951 Command, 2nd Artillery Group    
34852-34960 Not Awarded34961-34978 Command, 2 Corps Artillery 	 						 
34979-35631 7 Anti-Tank Regiment   		
35632-35657 7 Anti-Tank Regiment - Killed  						 
35658-36543 7 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment    						  
36544-37518 8 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment    					   
37519-38083 1 Artillery Survey Regiment    						 
38084-38655 Carpathian Lancer Regiment 
38656             Colonel Henryk Ignacy Szymanski (USA) US Army Liaison38657-38760 Carpathian Lancer Regiment 
38761-38776 Command, 2 Corps Engineers 	 						 
38777-39697 10 Battalion, Corps Engineers [10 Polish Corps Troops Engineers]	 	 
39698-40043 10 Bridging Company	 							 
40044-40297 301 Engineering Company	 						 
40298-40370 304 Mechanical Equipment Platoon	 					 
40371-40398 10 Bomb Disposal Platoon 						 
40399-40420 306 Engineering Park	 							 
40421-40438 Command, Army Signals 2 Corps 						 
40439-41052 11 Signals Battalion	 							 
41053-41061 2 Corps Signals Traffic Control Team	 					 
41062-41111 Corps Artillery Fire Control Signals Platoon 				 
41112-41167 Command, Corps Artillery Group Signals Platoon   			 
41168-41234 11 Special Radiotelegraphic Platoon	 					   
41235-41245 12 Special information Platoon 						  
41246-41280 386 Signals Platoon	 							 
41281-41320 389 Medium Radio Platoon          						 
41321-41338 2 Corps Signals Park  							 
41339-41371 Seconded from 7 Inf.Div for Telephone Network Security    		 
41372-41440 Air Support Signals Section  						 
41441-41446 Arial Photographic Interpretation Section    				 
41447-41449 Heads of 2 Corps Medical Services    					 
41450-41615 3 Casualty Clearing Station [stationed at Venafro]    			  
41616-41783 5 Casualty Clearing Station [stationed at Pozzilli]   			 
41784-42159 161 Military Hospital [later 2 Military Hospital - stationed at Campobasso]   
42160-42171 Arial Photographic Interpretation Section    					 
42172-42328 162 Military Hospital [also known as 6 Field Hospital - stationed at Venafro]	
42329-42736 1 Military Hospital [later  5 Military Hospital - stationed at Casamassima]   
42737-43169 3 Military Hospital [stationed at Palagiano]    					 
43170-43415 31 Sanitary (Medical) Company   						 
43416-43443 32 Field Hygiene Platoon 	 						 
43444-43451 34 Anti-Malaria Section    						 
43452-43460 45 Surgical Team   								 
43461-43470 46 Surgical Team   								 
43471-43480 47 Surgical Team    								 
43481-43489 48 Surgical Team 	 							 
43490-43493 49 Transfusion Team   							 
43494-43497 50 Transfusion Team  							 
43498-43514 341 Field Medical Dump    							 
43515-43520 Field Bacteriological-Chemical Unit   	             				 
43521-43541 Heads, Supply and Transport Services   					 
43542-43589 Command, 2 Corps Supply & Transport Units				 
43590-43863 21 Transport Company43864             Brigadier Sir E H C Frith (UK) C.O. 26 British Liaison Unit  
43865-43970 21 Transport Company43971-44403 22 Transport Company 			             				 
44404-44768 23 Transport Company 							 
44769-45159 24 Transport Company 							 
45160-45369 29 Ambulance Company 							 
45370-45419 30 Independent Workshop Platoon	 					 
45420-45459 326 Supply Dump	 						 
45460-45501 327 Supply Dump  								 
45502-45539 328 Supply Dump 								 
45540-45617 61 Anti-Aircraft Artillery Supply Unit  					 
45618-45715 62 Anti-Aircraft Artillery Supply Unit 					 
45716-45777 331 Mobile Field Bakery	 							 
45778-45843 332 Mobile Field Bakery 	 						 
45844–45884 334 Propellant Fuel Dump	 						 
45885-45912 336 Office Materials Dump	 						 
45913-45923 Delegation of Head of Field Canteens	 					 
45924-45973 318 Field Canteen and Mobile Library Company  				 
45974-45986 Command, 26 Field [Forward] Supply Centre 45987-45999 Command, 27 Field [Forward] Supply Centre  
46000-46012 Command, 28 Field [Forward] Supply Centre  
46013-46026 Heads, Corps Material Services   						  
46027-46045 Heads of Non-divisional Material Service Units   				 
46046-46207 Command, Corps Material Park 						 
46208-46251 Material Parks Delivery Platoon	 						 
46252-46257 Field Officers shop  								 
46258-46269 Field Ammunitions Laboratory 						 
46270-46377 350 Material Company  Supply Station 					 
46378-46480 375 Field Laundry 							 
46481-46496 377 Field Bath   								 
46497-46515 378 Field Bath   								 
46516-46527 Heads of Corps Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Service   		 
46528-46693 13 Workshop Company [13 EME Coy.]  					 
46694-46872 15 Workshop Company [15 EME Coy.]  					 
46873-47123 35 Workshop Company [35 EME Coy.]   					 
47124-47127 Corps Ordinance Workshop 	 						 
47128-47294 36 Rescue Company  							 
47295-47303 Heads of Geographical Services   						 
47304-47455 12 Geographical Company 	 						 
47456-47475 312 Field Map Store  			 				 
47476-47484 Command 2 Corps Provost (Military Police)  					 
47485-47648 11 Provost (Military Police) Squadron [Coy.]  
47649-47659 1 Provost (Military Police) Platoon      
47660-47676 2 Provost (Military Police) Platoon  		 	
47677-47756 Command, Army Service Corps Units        
47757-47958 Guard Battalion                                                                
47959-47966 Heads, Justice Service                          
47967-47994 12 Field Court                                                                     
47995-48006 Office of War Graves Registration              
48007-48046 370 Evacuated Equipment Park        
48047-48089 371 Evacuated Equipment Park         
48090-48135 372 Evacuated Equipment Park         
48136-48146 2 Corps Inspectorate for Control of Technical Equipment    
48147-48149 
48150-48151 Heads, Field Postal Service                           
48152-48171 2 Corps Field Postal Department                
48172-48178 2 Corps Military Censors Office                                
48179-48216 2 Corps Meteorological Section                     
48217-48230 Command, 2 Corps Financial Service [Paycorps]        
48231-48257 2 Corps Press and Culture Office                               
48258-48263 Press and Culture Office, non-divisional units         
48264-48272  Command Station No.1                   
48273-48290 Smoke Screen Unit                                                       
48291-48293 Soldiers’ Welfare Section   
48294-48355  Concert and Entertainment Section                
48356-48385 Reserve Liaison and Translator Officers         
48386-48399 111 Bridge Security Company                                       
48400-48407 Health Service Inspectorate, Women's Auxiliary Service (Poland)     
48408-48498 Independent Commando Company  
48499-48505 Headquarters 2 Corps Staff  	
48506-48514 Cipher Office and Radio Station 
48515-48517 7 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment    
48518 7 Anti-Tank Regiment  
48519 301 Engineering Company	 	
48520 389 Medium Radio Platoon          
48521-48523 2 Provost (Military Police) Platoon  48524-48531 
48532-48535 318 Field Canteen and Mobile Library Company 	
48536-48537 35 Workshop Company [35 EME Coy.]   	
48538-48540 5 Military Hospital  (Previously 1 Military Hospital)  
48541-48542 162 Military Hospital  
48543              161 Military Hospital  
48544-48547 
48548-48553 Headquarters 2 Corps Staff   
48554-48580 Arial Photographic Interpretation Section  	
48581 8 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment   
48582-48583 Smoke Screen Unit                                                       
48584-48585 3 Casualty Clearing Station 
48586  31 Sanitary (Medical) Company   	
48587-48597 Guard Battalion  
48598-48691 Headquarters 2 Corps Staff   
48692             2 Corps Signals Traffic Control Team	 
48693             Carpathian Lancer Regiment  	 
48694-48696 Heads of 2 Corps Medical Services    	
48697-48710 Heads, Supply and Transport Services     	
48711-48715  Heads of Corps Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Service   	
48716-48720  Command, Army Service Corps Units   
48721-48749      	
48750-48759 Headquarters 2 Corps Staff    
48760              7 Anti-Tank Regiment   	
48761	           1 Artillery Survey Regiment   
48762-48796 Convalescent Home (2 Battalion)  				 
48797              Heads, Supply and Transport Services     	
48798              Heads, Corps Material Service    
48799-48821 Guard Battalion       
48822-48823  2 Corps Press and Culture Office     
48824-48830 
48831               663 Artillery Observation Air Squadron   
48832 
48833               7 Anti-Tank Regiment  
48834-48845 
48846              Convalescent Home (2 Battalion)   
48847              8 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment The units listed above are not the official British War Office designations, but rather a close translated version taken from the Polish.

This information was brought  to you courtesy of Andrzej and  The Polish Institute and General Sikorski Museum. It was compiled by Dr. Mark Ostrowski. Recent research has established that the initial figures cited above were miscalculated and in fact the last known cross given to a named recipient was 48847. The complete list of named recipients is at the Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum in File AXII/85/214''', Folders 1-19.

See also
Battle of Monte Cassino

References

External links
The Polish Victory at Monte Cassino

Dal Volturno a Cassino a website that has as its main purpose to collect and disseminate information on both, notably to the battle of Cassino is to all those events less known, but it must be related, temporally preceding and the following. 

Category:Battle of Monte Cassino
Category:Polish campaign medals