Hello,
I have begun to make the listing of the polish losses on Hill 262, on Maczuga, between the 19th and the 21th august. Of course, I hope that members of this forum will correct the errors and complete this listing. I hope that they will understand my english...
On 19 august 1944 :
1. Arm. Reg. : I find no losses, even if in some docuemnts, they mention 5 men. But they seem to be in 1rst Mot. Art. Reg. an,s not 1rst Arm. Reg.
2. Arm Reg : PRZYBOROWSKI Zygmunt Jan (cote 239)
2. Arm Reg : RYCHEL Jann (cote 239)
2. Arm Reg : SOCHACKI Zdislaw (cote 239)
8. Rif. Bat. : GOZDZINSKI Jozef (?)
9 Rif. Bat : KOZAK Antoni (cote 262)
In other units, I have found :
JASKORSKI Antoni (Maczuga). Anti-Tank Regiment.
----------------------------------------------------------------
On 20th august 1944 :
1. Arm. Reg. : ADAMCZEWSKI Kazimierz (Coudehard)
1. AR : IGLEWICZ Lejb (Coudehard)
1. AR : KULAKOWSKI Eugeniusz (Coudehard).
1. AR : ORKISZEWSKI Antoni (Coudehard)
1. AR : SMOLNY Kazimierz Boleslaw (Coudehard)
1. AR : SUDOL Jozef (Coudehard)
1. AR : SZARLEJ Emil (Coudehard).
1. AR : SZUMEJKO Piotr (Coudehard).
1. AR : WICHLAJ Jozef (Coudehard).
1. AR : WOLANIECKI Aleksander (Coudehard).
1. AR : ZABECKI Adam (Coudehard).
1. AR : ZYRMONT Edward (Coudehard).
2. AR : JABLONSKI Stefan (Maczuga)
2. AR : KOMOSINSKI Zbigniew Andrzej (Maczuga)
2. AR : KRAJEWSKI Jan (Maczuga)
2. AR : SOBCZYNSKI Wladyslaw (Maczuga)
8. Bat. : EGEMANN Hieromin (Coudehard)
8. Bat. : HUPA Wiktor (Boisjos).
8. Bat. : KONSTANTY Antoni (Coudehard)
8. Bat. : KUHN Adelbert (Coudehard)
8. Bat. : LICHTAROWICZ Jozef (Coudehard)
8. Bat. : MICHALSKI Wladyslaw (Coudehard)
8. Bat. : SZAWINSKI Michal (Coudehard)
8. Bat. : SZCZEPKOWSKI Stanislaw (Coudehard)
8. Bat. : WIECZOREK Bernard (Coudehard)
9. Bat. : BRACHMANSKI Pawel (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : BRUCHWALSKI Waclaw (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : DOBRZYNSKI Tadeusz (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : FLISIKOWSKI Franciszek (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : GDYK Stanislaw (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : ISKRZYNSKI Zbigniew (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : KADZIOLKA Zygmunt (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : KLETZ Stanislaw (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : KONIECZNY Wladyslaw (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : KOPIECKI Gerard (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : KRASNIEJ Mikolaj (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : MAJEWSKI Konrad (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : MIESIKOWSKI Jan (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : OLIWKA Edward (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : SARTORI Ryszard (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : SIWCZUK Jozef (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : SZYBKA Marian (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : WANDERSKI Leon (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : ZUKOWSKI Jozef (Maczuga)
Podhale : DZIADUS Jozef (Maczuga)
Podhale : GRZENIA Pawel Piotr (Maczuga)
Podhale : GUMOWSKI Kamil (Maczuga)
Podhale : JAROSZUK Franciszek (Maczuga)
Podhale : LACHMAN Bohdan (Maczuga)
Podhale : LEWKO Wlodzimierz (Maczuga)
Podhale : MAZUR Jan (Maczuga)
Podhale : MUSZAK Kazimierz (Maczuga)
Podhale : WITKO Jan (Maczuga)
CKM : BORYS Waclaw (?)
CKM : RODYCZ Stanislaw (Maczuga)
Je Find also :
FULAWKA Wladyslaw, Anti-Tank Reg. (Coudehard)
HNILKA Jozef, Anti-Tank Reg. (Coudehard)
MELIN Gwidon, Anti-Tank Reg. (Maczuga)
WOLNIK Emil, 10th engeeners coy, said to be killed at Coudehard, but initially burried in 1 km north-west of Rouvres.
-----------------------------------------------------------
On 21th ausgust
8. Bat. : BAGNIEWSKI Jan (Said to be killed at Quesnay. Tha fighting in Quesanay woods are niot a this date... So, error or not ? Quesnay or Maczuga ? I don't know.)
8. Bat. : NOWAK Waldemar (Coudehard)
8. Bat. : PARCHETA Kazimierz (Coudehard)
8. Bat. : SKOWRONEK Ryszard (Coudehard)
8. Bat. : TUCHOLSKI Bodhan (Coudehard)
9. Bat. : DABROWSKI Antoni (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : DROHOMIRECKI Marian (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : KANSKI Boleslaw (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : KLEBAN Ludwik (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : KWIATKOWSKI Maksymilian (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : LEWSZA Stanislaw (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : RUPAR Ignacy (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : STAWSKI Jozef (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : WASILEWSKI Edward (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : WEGNER Pawel (Maczuga)
9. Bat. : WIECKOWSKI Gererd (Maczuga)
Podhale : AMBIK Jan Zbigniew (Maczuga)
Podhale : BANWIC Jerzy (?)
Podhale : DUNAJSKI Tadeusz (Maczuga)
Podhale : GRADZKI Stanislaw Boleslaw (Maczuga).
Podhale : KULHAWY Wladyslaw (Maczuga)
Podhale : RUCKI Rudolf Adam (Maczuga)
Podhale : SPRYSZ Boleslaw (cote 262)
Podhale : WRZASK Stanislaw (Maczuga)
Podhale : ZARZYNA Jerzy (Maczuga)
CKM : BORYNA Jozef (?)
CKM : MARTUN Jozef Wincenty (?)
1er Anti-Tank Reg. : ADAMCZEWSKI Tadeusz (Maczuga)
1er Anti-Tank Reg. : ZAKRZEWSKI Boleslaw (Maczuga)
I have found details on a wonderfull site made by a friend in Nederland, owing to Jos van Alphen, about the polish war graves.
Ze-Pole
Polish losses on Maczuga
Very detailed list. Interesting. I've always thought that it was the 8th Battalion that took the majority of the casualties.
So far one correction:
So far one correction:
W. Hupa was a priest. He was the chaplain of the 9th Infantry Battalion. He was killed by a German sniper probably from the III./"DF". His death was very unusual. According to the doctor who examined him he was shot for three times nearly in the same time (three holes in the back). What is strange is that chaplain Hupa even didn't realise that he had been shot. He consulted doctor after an hour and he lived for another hour at least.8. Bat. : HUPA Wiktor (Boisjos).
I have sent a mesage to a friend of mine, in Netherlands, who has made a site about the polish losses... I wait for his answer about this priest Hupa. In one of my book, also, he is mentioned from 9th.. Let's wait !
I take advantage of this small message to give corrects :
DRAGUN Boleslaw : he is not dead on 21 august but in fact on 18 august !
WIECKOSWKI ; his christian name is Gererd and not Gerard.
JAROSZUK Franciszek ; he is dead on 20 august and not on 21 august.
Sorry or these errors.
Ze-Pole
I take advantage of this small message to give corrects :
DRAGUN Boleslaw : he is not dead on 21 august but in fact on 18 august !
WIECKOSWKI ; his christian name is Gererd and not Gerard.
JAROSZUK Franciszek ; he is dead on 20 august and not on 21 august.
Sorry or these errors.
Ze-Pole
Cyprek,
You were right ! This priest was from 9th ! I will correct this error also on "Forum de la Poche" you know also, and on which I have tried the same study about polish losses. I will mention you on it, or you can send a message on this other forum ?
I give the link for the wonderfull site of my friend from Netherlans, Jos van Alphen, about the polish graves :
http://www.polishwargraves.nl/
I am sure you will have pleasure to have a look on it !
Ze-Pole
PS : mister van Alphen looks for a picture of Priest Hupa, if somebody had, that would be great !
You were right ! This priest was from 9th ! I will correct this error also on "Forum de la Poche" you know also, and on which I have tried the same study about polish losses. I will mention you on it, or you can send a message on this other forum ?
I give the link for the wonderfull site of my friend from Netherlans, Jos van Alphen, about the polish graves :
http://www.polishwargraves.nl/
I am sure you will have pleasure to have a look on it !
Ze-Pole
PS : mister van Alphen looks for a picture of Priest Hupa, if somebody had, that would be great !
There are some difficulties for me with the members of the 1rst Motorised Artillery Rgiment. They all are said to be dead a this date in Moutiers en Auge... But it seems that they were killed on Maczuga... I suppose they were registered by the regimental priest who was in Moutiers... A problem for me for the moment. I hope to get details and find the solution.
Ze-Pole
Ze-Pole
In fact, these soldiers of 1rst Motorised Artillery Regiment were probably artillery observers witharmroe regiments on Maczuga ! hat is the reason why they were recorded where the priest was, and not on Maczuga, when they were killed ? ! ?
If somebody had a 40's picture of priest HUPA, that would be great for me !
Ze-Pole
If somebody had a 40's picture of priest HUPA, that would be great for me !
Ze-Pole
This is the list of the casualties that the Independent Heavy Machinegun Squadron took during the battle:
19TH AUGUST
WOUNDED
SARNACKI BOLESŁAW
20TH AUGUST
KIA
BORYS WACŁAW
RODYCZ STANISŁAW
WOUNDED
RAJCHERT TADEUSZ
BOJAR WŁADYSŁAW
BARCIK BOLESŁAW
GŁAWINSKI WINCENTY
MIA
GAWEŁCZYK FRANCISZEK
JANKIEWICZ WŁADYSŁAW
21TH AUGUST
KIA
BORYNA JÓZEF (SQUADRON COMMANDER)
MARTUN JÓZEF
WOUNDED
MUCHA MARIAN
NYK WŁADYSŁAW
POKORSKI BRONISŁAW
DŁUGOSZ JÓZEF
I have the list of the wounded men for the Podhalanian Rifle Battalion but not for the other two battalions.
Using the data posted here we can draw such a sketch fo the rifle battalions:
19th August
8th RB
KIA
1
WIA
???
MIA
???
9th RB
KIA
1
WIA
???
MIA
???
Podhalanian RB
KIA
0
WIA
4
MIA
???
Independent HMG Squadron
KIA
0
WIA
1
MIA
0
20th August
8th RB
KIA
9
WIA
???
MIA
???
9th RB
KIA
19
WIA
???
MIA
???
Podhalanian RB
KIA
8
WIA
7
MIA
???
Independent HMG Squadron
KIA
2
WIA
4
MIA
2
21st August
8th RB
KIA
4-5
WIA
???
MIA
???
9th RB
KIA
11
WIA
???
MIA
???
Podhalanian RB
KIA
10
WIA
22
MIA
???
Independent HMG Squadron
KIA
2
WIA
4
MIA
0
What caught my attention are the casualties of the 9th RB on 20th August are realtively high (19 killed so probably the number of wounded and missing was twice that; should be over 60 men in total). This is probably caused by the attack carried out by the 3rd Company of that battalion around 4 PM. The attack was aimed at the hill 239 (controlled by the 10./"DF"). The 3rd Company was hit by heavy artillery fire and took heavy casualties. So this is probably the reason for which 9th RB has the biggest rate of KIA/WIA/MIA.
19TH AUGUST
WOUNDED
SARNACKI BOLESŁAW
20TH AUGUST
KIA
BORYS WACŁAW
RODYCZ STANISŁAW
WOUNDED
RAJCHERT TADEUSZ
BOJAR WŁADYSŁAW
BARCIK BOLESŁAW
GŁAWINSKI WINCENTY
MIA
GAWEŁCZYK FRANCISZEK
JANKIEWICZ WŁADYSŁAW
21TH AUGUST
KIA
BORYNA JÓZEF (SQUADRON COMMANDER)
MARTUN JÓZEF
WOUNDED
MUCHA MARIAN
NYK WŁADYSŁAW
POKORSKI BRONISŁAW
DŁUGOSZ JÓZEF
I have the list of the wounded men for the Podhalanian Rifle Battalion but not for the other two battalions.
Using the data posted here we can draw such a sketch fo the rifle battalions:
19th August
8th RB
KIA
1
WIA
???
MIA
???
9th RB
KIA
1
WIA
???
MIA
???
Podhalanian RB
KIA
0
WIA
4
MIA
???
Independent HMG Squadron
KIA
0
WIA
1
MIA
0
20th August
8th RB
KIA
9
WIA
???
MIA
???
9th RB
KIA
19
WIA
???
MIA
???
Podhalanian RB
KIA
8
WIA
7
MIA
???
Independent HMG Squadron
KIA
2
WIA
4
MIA
2
21st August
8th RB
KIA
4-5
WIA
???
MIA
???
9th RB
KIA
11
WIA
???
MIA
???
Podhalanian RB
KIA
10
WIA
22
MIA
???
Independent HMG Squadron
KIA
2
WIA
4
MIA
0
What caught my attention are the casualties of the 9th RB on 20th August are realtively high (19 killed so probably the number of wounded and missing was twice that; should be over 60 men in total). This is probably caused by the attack carried out by the 3rd Company of that battalion around 4 PM. The attack was aimed at the hill 239 (controlled by the 10./"DF"). The 3rd Company was hit by heavy artillery fire and took heavy casualties. So this is probably the reason for which 9th RB has the biggest rate of KIA/WIA/MIA.
One more thing.
Kamil Gumowski of the 3rd Company of the Podhalanian Rifle Battalion is surely the man whose death was the most horrifying. A Mark IV of the "Das Reich" ran over his leg so that he got stuck. Shortly after that this Mark IV was hit and set on fire. Gumowski died burning together with that Mark IV. He was 18 years old. For quite a long time after the war it was a mystery who was the man who died that tragicla death. Colonel W. Dec in his book "Narvik and Falaise" wrote that the man who burned with the Mark IV was Jan Witko. But in 1999 Gumowski's friend, who was on the spot and who identified Gumowski's body, published his memoirs making it clear that the men killed under the Mark IV's track was not Jan Witko but Kamil Gumowski.
Kamil Gumowski of the 3rd Company of the Podhalanian Rifle Battalion is surely the man whose death was the most horrifying. A Mark IV of the "Das Reich" ran over his leg so that he got stuck. Shortly after that this Mark IV was hit and set on fire. Gumowski died burning together with that Mark IV. He was 18 years old. For quite a long time after the war it was a mystery who was the man who died that tragicla death. Colonel W. Dec in his book "Narvik and Falaise" wrote that the man who burned with the Mark IV was Jan Witko. But in 1999 Gumowski's friend, who was on the spot and who identified Gumowski's body, published his memoirs making it clear that the men killed under the Mark IV's track was not Jan Witko but Kamil Gumowski.
Thank you Cyprek for these precious details about the CKM Unit, the Independent Heavy Machinegun Squadron.
About Gumowski, indeed, I have got this account from Mister Haas. In 1999, and 2004, I had put flowers on his grave in Langannerie, in the polish cemetery in Normandy.
Cyprek, do you agree I put your messages and infomations in french language on the "Forum de la Poche" after mentioning your pseudo ?
Ze-Pole
About Gumowski, indeed, I have got this account from Mister Haas. In 1999, and 2004, I had put flowers on his grave in Langannerie, in the polish cemetery in Normandy.
Cyprek, do you agree I put your messages and infomations in french language on the "Forum de la Poche" after mentioning your pseudo ?
Ze-Pole