Grave Memorial Polish Soldiers Stekene

At the cemetery in Stekene are 7 Polish soldiers buried, all fallen in September 1944. On the monument the coats of arms of both countries next to the text, left in Dutch, right in Polish:
"The grateful Stekene to the Polish Heroes
died for his liberation"

Below the names:
Michal SZULAK - Jozef HOLDENHAJER - Antoni RICHTARZ - Jozef SADOWSKI - Modest KIELISZEK - Franciszek GWIAZDA - Kazimierz KRYSCINSKI

For the tombstones a phrase from the Polish national anthem: "Jeszcze Polska Nie Zginęła",
translated: "Poland is not lost yet".

The soldiers belonged to the 1st Polish Armored Division, an Allied division formed in Scotland in February 1942. The division consisted of Polish soldiers who had fled to France after the fall of Poland in 1939. There they fought for the second time against the Germans in 1940, after which they emigrated to England. An army, air force and navy were established under an Anglo-Polish agreement. The Polish units were largely under British command, with British equipment and uniforms (with Polish rank marks), but with the clause that the Poles would fight in their own military units. The First Polish Army Corps was subsequently established in Scotland, with the 1st Armored Division and the Polish 1st Independent Paratroopers Brigade attaining full operational status. During its stay in Scotland from 1942 to 1944, this corps guarded 200 km of British coast.
At the end of July 1944, the division crossed over to Normandy and was assigned to the Canadian First Army. In Normandy they won some brilliant victories over the Germans during the battles for Mont Ormel, Hill 262 and the town of Falaise.
After the Allied breakout from Normandy, the Polish 1st Armored Division pursued the Germans along the coast of the English Channel. The division entered Belgium near Poperinge and liberated Ieper (6 September), Roeselare and Tielt (7 September), Hooglede, Ruiselede, Aalter (8 September), Evergem, Sint-Niklaas (9 September), Lokeren (12 September) , Stekene and Sint-Gillis-Waas (14 September), Moerbeke (16 September) and Beveren. Then their journey continued towards the Netherlands.

It was during the liberation of Stekene that these Polish soldiers lost their lives…

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Source

• Text: Marie-Christine Vinck
• Photos: Marie-Christine Vinck