Władysław Anders

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Lt.Gen Władysław Anders (1892 – 1970) was a General in the Polish Army and later in life a politician with the Polish government-in-exile in London. Anders was born on August 11 1892, in the Polish village of Krośniewice-Blonie, near Kutno. As a young officer Anders served Tsar Nicholas II in the 1st Krechowiecki Lancer's Regiment during World War I, later joining the Polish Army and again serving as an Commissioned officer in a cavalry regiment.

Anders was in command of a cavalry brigade at the time of the outbreak of World War II. The Polish Cavalry was no match for German Blitzkrieg tactics, tanks and motorised infantry, and the Polish forces were forced to retreat to the east. Anders was taken prisoner by Soviet forces and was jailed in Lubyanka prison in Moscow.

After the attack on the Soviet Union by Germany, Anders was released by the Soviets with the aim of forming a Polish Army to fight alongside the Red Army. Continued friction with the Soviets over lack of basic weapons, food and clothing led to the eventual exodus of Anders' men, together with a sizeable contingent of Polish civilians, along the Persian Corridor into Persia (Iran); where Anders formed and led the 2nd Polish Corps while agitating for release of Polish nationals still in the Soviet Union. It was during this time that large numbers of non-combat-capable Polish men and women were sent to Britain. Many stayed, and made their way in the world after the end of the war.

Anders was the commander of the 2nd Polish Corps 1943-1946. After the war the Soviet-installed communist government in Poland announced it was removing his Polish citizenship. Anders had, however, always been unwilling to return to a Soviet-dominated Poland where he probably would have been jailed and possibly executed, and remained in exile in Britain. He was prominent in the Polish Government in Exile in London. He died in London on 12 May 1970, where his body lay 'in state' at the church of Andrzej Bobola, where many of his former soldiers and families came to pay their last respects. He was buried, in accordance with his wishes, amongst his fallen soldiers from the 2nd Polish Corps at the Polish Military Cemetery at Monte Cassino in Italy.

Medals

Poland

*Virtuti Militari Commander's Cross
*Virtuti Militari Knight's Cross
*Virtuti Militari Golden Medal IV Class
*Virtuti Militari Silver Medal V Class
*Krzyż Walecznych eight times, four times for Polish-Soviet War and 4 times for Polish Defensive War of 1939
*Cross of Independence
*Polonia Restituta III Class
*Krzyż Zasługi z Mieczami I Class
*Medal Wojska four times
*Commemorative Medal for War of 1919-1921
*Medal 10-lecia Odzyskania Niepodległości
*Medal 3 Maja
*Medal za Długoletnią Służbę
*Krzyż Armii Krajowej
*Krzyż Monte Cassino Cross of Monte Cassino

The United States of America

*Legion of Merit
*Order of Lafayette

Great Britain

*Order of the Bath Companion
*Italy Star Defence Medal

Czechoslovakia

*Order of the White Lion

Italy

*Ordine del S.S. Maurizio a Lazarro I Class
*Croce di Guerra al Valore Militare

Knights of Malta

*Croce al Merito del Sovrano Militare Ordine di Malta

Yugoslavia (Royal)

*Commander of the Order of St. Sava

Persia

*Imperial Order of Homayeun I Class

France

*Legion of Honor III Class
*Croix de guerre with Palm
*Medaille Interallie

Russia (Imperial Russia)

*Order of St. George
*Order of St. Vladimir with Swords
*Order of St. Anna with Swords 2nd, 3rd and 4th class
*Order of Saint Stanislas with Swords 2nd and 3rd class

Image:Wladyslaw Anders2.jpg| Image:Wladyslaw Anders1.jpg|

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