Those Crazy Poles

[Subdeacon Joe]

Lovell

December 12, 2023  · 

Shared with Public

 

 

 

 

 

 

Institute of National Remembrance 

December 5, 2023  · 

Celebrating Saint Nicholas Day, we would like to remind you this unique picture. Looks like St. Nicholas used a Stuart tank instead of sleigh!

 It’s not Christmas time, though. It’s the feast of Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas Day) celebrated in Italy on 6 December 1944.

 The vehicle, nicknamed “Lucypher,” belonged to the 6th 'Dzieci Lwowskich' [Children of Lwów] Armoured Regiment of the 2nd Armoured Brigade assigned to the Gen. Anders’ II Corps, but instead of ammo, the tank carried gifts.

 The man dressed up as St. Nicholas was officer cadet Edward Wojtczak. The town is Bibbiena in Tuscany. Polish soldiers decided to cheer up the war-weary locals, especially children by arranging an appropriate meeting with St. Nicholas. Poles provided entertainment, food and gifts. It was probably the only “Christmas theme” event organised for the locals by the WW2 Polish army fighting in the West.

 At the end of 1944, the soldiers of the 6th Polish Armoured Regiment had some tough battles behind them – Monte Cassino, Piedimonte and Ancona. Since 15 November 1944, the unit was resting in Bibbiena.

 "Trails of Hope. The Odyssey of Freedom" - is a commemorative and educational project on General Władysław Anders and his soldiers. It aims to present the journey of over 116,000 Poles, civilians and General Anders’ soldiers, as well as the combat trail of General Maczek’s 1st Armored Division, to international audiences. The project is to be carried out in the years 2021-2025 and is planned to cover the countries on three continents that the Anders Army went through. We will highlight, among other things, the relations between local residents and communities and the Polish army. View our collected content on this significant project.

 https://bit.ly/3pJF5TY

#WW2 #WładysławAnders #PolishIICorps

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

Atta boy, Santa.  Get to the kids any way you can.