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{{Infobox military award
|name= Monte Cassino Commemorative Cross
|image= [[Image:Krzyz MonteCassino Polska.jpg|300px]] [[Image:Krzyz Monte Cassino Ribbon.png|center]]
|caption= Obverse (top left) with the inscription "MONTE CASSINO MAJ 1944" and reverse (top right) with the serial number of the medal. Cross 25369 was awarded to a soldier of the 5th Engineers Battalion, 5th Kresowa Infantry Division.
|presenter= [[Polish government in Exile]]
|type= [[Campaign medal]]
|eligibility= Polish II Corps
|awarded_for= Campaign service
|campaign= Battle of Monte Cassino
|status=
|description=
|clasps= None authorised.
|established= 1944
|total_awarded=
|image2=
|caption2=
}}
The '''Monte Cassino Commemorative Cross''' ({{lang-pl|Krzyż Pamiątkowy Monte Cassino}}) 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 (region)|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.<ref name="Wesolowski">
{{cite web
| last = Wesolowski
| first = Dr. Zdzislaw P.
| title = The Polish Monte Cassino Cross
| publisher = The Militaria Collector's Exchange
| date = 1997
| url = http://www.virtuti.com/order/articles/cassino.html }}</ref> 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.<ref name="Wesolowski"/> 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.<ref name="Wesolowski"/> At the moment of its institution in June 1944, the medal was 19th in the Polish [[order of precedence]].<ref name="order">
{{cite web
| last = Mongeon
| first = A.
| title = World War Two - Polish Forces in the West
| publisher = Polish Medals and Militaria
| date = 2003
| url = http://home.golden.net/~medals/exile.html
}}</ref>

==Recipients by Unit==
The Monte Cassino Commemorative Cross was issued to the following units: 
<big>CROSS No. UNIT</big>

1 '''Senior Commanders - General [[General Anders|Władysław Anders]], General Officer Commanding [[2nd Polish Corps|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 [[Polish 3rd Carpathian Rifle Division|3 Carpathian Rifle Division]]''' 
5 '''Senior Commanders - General [[Nikodem Sulik]], General Officer Commanding [[5th Kresowa Infantry Division (Poland)|5 Kresowa Infantry Division]]''' 
6 '''Senior Commanders - General [[Bronisław Rakowski]], General Officer Commanding [[2nd Armoured Brigade (Poland)|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 Awarded''' 
34961-34978 '''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 Liaison''' 
38657-38760 '''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 '''Aerial 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 '''Aerial 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 Company''' 
43864 '''Brigadier Sir E H C Frith (UK) C.O. 26 British Liaison Unit ''' 
43865-43970 '''21 Transport Company''' 
43971-44403 '''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 '''Heads, Supply and Transport Services ''' 
48525-48531 
48527-48529 '''24 Transport Company''' 
48530-48531 
48532-48535 '''318 Field Canteen and Mobile Library Company''' 
48536 '''35 Workshop Company [35 EME Coy.] ''' 
48537 '''13 Workshop Company [13 EME Coy.] ''' 
48538-48540 '''5 Military Hospital (Previously 1 Military Hospital)''' 
48541-48542 '''162 Military Hospital''' 
48543 '''161 Military Hospital''' 
48544-48547 '''111 Bridge Security Company''' 
48548-48553 '''Headquarters 2 Corps Staff ''' 
48554-48580 '''Aerial 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''' 
48598-48600 '''Headquarters 2 Corps Staff''' 
48601-48687 '''5 Kresowa Infantry Division (Various) Added after 22.2.1945 ''' 
48688-48691 '''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==
<references/>

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060114035737/http://www.polishnews.com/fulltext/history/2002/history17.shtml The Polish Victory at Monte Cassino]

*[http://www.dalvolturnoacassino.it 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. {{in lang|it}}

[[Category:Battle of Monte Cassino]]
[[Category:Polish campaign medals]]

Monte Cassino Commemorative Cross - Revision history

Bot at 13:28, 8 October 2022