pre-WW2/WW2 Polish Unique Group to General Antoni Grudziński

A unique set of memorabilia after General Antoni Grudziński, who was, among others, the commander of the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade of the Polish Armed Forces in the West (PSZnZ), and Deputy Commander of the 14th Lancers Regiment of Jazłowiec (Second Polish Republic). He distinguished himself as the commander who accepted the surrender of Wilhelmshaven in 1945.

The set consists of 11 decorations and an Polish eagle cap badge, framed by General Grudziński himself. These include:

• WW2 Polish Eagle 1939 Pattern Eagle Cap Badge, produced by the French Alavoine around 1940, with modified reverse hooks for the French Adrian helmet.
• pre-WW2 Polish General Inspectorate of Armed Forces (GISZ) Badge, luxuriously made by Wiktor Gontarczyk in Warsaw. The badge is in near-perfect condition, three-part, with 11 rivets, blue transparent enamel, and fine chiseling.
• pre-WW2 Polish War College Badge (General Staff), made by Wiktor Gontarczyk in Warsaw, two-part. The eagle has an additional gilded crown and letters “SG.”
• pre-WW2 Polish Officer Badge of the 14th Lancers Regiment of Jazłowiec (Lwów), made by Jan Knedler in Warsaw, numbered (number 3). A rare badge from the first award series, distinguished by the strong curve of the Maltese cross and delicate rivets holding the Sun of Podolia. The badge was restored during General Grudziński’s lifetime in the 1970s by Mieczysław Białkiewicz in London, including re-enameling, re-gilding, re-silvering the nut, and replacing the post.
• WW2 Polish Officer Badge of the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment, made in the UK and finished by master craftsman Franciszek Wyroba. (Leszczuk & Barbarski 41a)
• WW2 Polish Badge of the 1st Armored Regiment, made by Kirkwood & Son in Edinburgh. (Leszczuk & Barbarski 69a)
• WW2 Polish Officer Badge of the 24th Lancers Regiment, made by Chisholm & Mackay in Edinburgh (Leszczuk & Barbarski 35a.1)
• WW2 Polish Badge of the 2nd Armored Regiment, made by Kirkwood & Son in Edinburgh (Leszczuk & Barbarski 70a)
• WW2 Polish Armored Badge, made by Steinhauer Ludenscheid in Occupied Germany around 1945/46 (Leszczuk & Barbarski 64b)
• WW2 Polish Badge of the 10th Dragoons Regiment, made by J.R. Gaunt in the UK (Leszczuk & Barbarski 39a).
• WW2 Polish Badge of the 16th Armored Brigade, made by Kirkwood & Son in Edinburgh, numbered 455 (Leszczuk & Barbarski 68).
• WW2 Polish Badge of the 2nd Motorized Artillery Regiment, made in Occupied Germany (Leszczuk & Barbarski 55c).

At the bottom of the frame, there is a brass plaque inscribed “Gen.Bryg.Antoni GRUDZIŃSKI, Dca 10 Bryg.Kaw. 1 Dyw.Panc.” On the reverse, the original owner’s stamp “A.Grudziński” is present, which he used for his collection.

The new owner will also receive photos of the documents associated with the badges in the set from the PSZnZ period as well as extensive research from the Polish Museum and Sikorski Institute in London.

Brigadier General Antoni Grudziński (born November 17, 1897, in Wilno; died December 1, 1981, in London) was a distinguished cavalry officer in the Polish Army and Polish Armed Forces, who earned a place among the most prominent Polish officers through his service. As Deputy Commander of the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade, he accepted the surrender of the largest Kriegsmarine base in Wilhelmshaven from the Germans on May 6, 1945.

His military career began in 1918 in the Kuban region, where he served in a Lancers squadron, later renamed the Lancers Regiment of the 4th Rifle Division under General Żeligowski. During the Polish-Soviet War, Grudziński distinguished himself as a platoon leader in the 14th Lancers Regiment, and his leadership skills were quickly recognized, leading to further promotions.

Grudziński’s military path took him through key battles, including his leadership in the Battle of Jazłowiec in 1919. This pivotal engagement saw the Polish forces achieving a swift and decisive victory over the Ukrainians. The battle was marked by Polish cavalry charges, which broke enemy lines and resulted in the capture of significant quantities of military equipment and prisoners.

Participation in the Battle of Jazłowiec:

In the history of Polish warfare, few victories shine as brightly as the one at Jazłowiec, a battle that raged on and off for three days and nights, from July 11 to 13, 1919. Polish forces began their attack at 5:00 a.m. on July 11. Within five hours, they successfully crossed the Strypa River, but near the village of Duliby, they came under heavy Ukrainian fire. The breakthrough came when the 1st Lancers Regiment charged, and later General Antoni Grudziński described the scene:

“All hell broke loose. Gunfire erupted from the entire front ahead of us. Machine guns rattled and bullets cut through the air. Shells burst around us. Everything blurred together in the thunder of the gallop. Glimpses flashed by – one soldier thrown from his saddle, another crashing down with his horse. The hoarse sound of trumpets blared out ‘march, march.’ Then, a full gallop. The ranks let out a deafening ‘HUR-R-A-A.’ The horses pinned their ears back as the relentless shouting echoed all around.

Fury boiled inside us – to catch them, to slash, stab, and trample the ones firing at us. A quick flash of advice from the veterans in the squadron: infantrymen are best taken down with a strike from below, since they can block an overhead slash with their rifle. As for the lance, it’s better to thrust from a reverse grip and aim downward. Striking from under the arm or straight ahead is awkward in close combat, and if you don’t angle your horse correctly while thrusting, you could be thrown from the saddle yourself. Our sabers were good – mostly Russian ‘Kubankas,’ which felt solid in the hand. We reached the enemy and began slashing. From there, it was every man for himself.

The battle descended into chaos, with screams, confusion, and wild gunfire. It didn’t last long before the enemy started throwing down their weapons and raising their hands in surrender. The field was swarming with fleeing soldiers. Abandoned machine guns fell silent. We charged the artillery positions, where the crews couldn’t manage to limber up their cannons in time. Some cut the harnesses and tried to flee on the horses. Another battery, already limbered, began to retreat. We gave chase. The crew cut their harnesses, abandoned the guns, and tried to escape, but we captured them all. […] The squadrons reformed, gathering prisoners and spoils. Medics tended to the wounded. A few gunshots echoed as the maimed horses, beyond saving, were put down. For a cavalryman, it’s a heartbreaking moment. A faithful companion – sent off with a final bullet.”

During the regiment’s winter rest in Żółkiew, he was sent to the riding school in Przemyśl. As a cadet, he returned in April 1920 and took part in the Polish-Soviet War. He was awarded the Silver Cross of the Virtuti Militari (no. 6934). After the war, as a second lieutenant in 1921, he commanded a platoon in the 2nd School Squadron. In 1922, as a lieutenant, he became the regiment’s adjutant. In 1925, he left for the War College, passing the adjutancy to Captain Julian Miller. After graduating, he returned to the regiment as a staff captain. During Józef Piłsudski’s funeral in Warsaw, he commanded the honor squadron of the Podolian Cavalry Brigade.

By November 1926, he was in the 14th Lancers Regiment, holding positions such as platoon commander and regimental adjutant. From November 2, 1926, he studied at the War College in Warsaw, and after graduating on October 31, 1928, he took up the role of first officer in the staff of the 2nd Infantry Division. He was promoted on January 1, 1929, to staff captain of cavalry, and on April 24, 1930, he was appointed acting chief of staff of that division. On November 1, 1932, he was assigned to the Army Inspectorate in Lwów. In November 1934, he became the squadron commander in the 14th Jazłowiecki Lancers Regiment in Lwów. From January 1935, he worked in the Third Department of the General Staff. Promoted to major on January 1, 1936, by the spring of 1939, he headed the independent operational office of the same department. In July, he became the deputy commander of the 14th Regiment.

By the eve of World War II, Grudziński was Deputy Commander of the 14th Lancers in Lwów. During the September Campaign, he served in the Operational Department of the General Staff of the Commander-in-Chief. After the Fall of Poland, he served in France and the United Kingdom, where he held high-level command positions. During the war, he played a key role as deputy chief of Section III of the Commander-in-Chief’s Staff, commander of the reconnaissance battalion of the 1st Corps, and later as commander of the 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade.

Colonel Antoni Grudziński, acting on behalf of General Maczek, accepted the surrender of the Kriegsmarine garrison and base.

The following surrendered to the Poles: the command of the fortress, the Kriegsmarine base, the “Ostfriesland” fleet, the command of the German 10th Infantry Division, the commanders of eight infantry and artillery regiments, two admirals (Weiher and Zieb), one general (Gericke), 1,900 officers, and 32,000 non-commissioned officers and soldiers. In the port, Maczek’s forces seized: one heavily damaged cruiser “Köln”, one command ship “Niassa”, 12 submarines (seven of which were still operational), 205 smaller combat and auxiliary ships, 94 fortress guns, 159 field guns, 560 heavy machine guns, 40,000 rifles, 280,000 artillery shells, 23,000 hand grenades, and 64 million rounds of small arms ammunition. The 1st Armoured Division also captured stockpiles of mines, torpedoes, and food supplies sufficient for 50,000 people for three months. In addition, the Poles seized numerous Kriegsmarine pennants, including the flag of Admiral Hans-Georg von Friedeburg (Dönitz’s successor). In the city, General Maczek’s soldiers also found the Polish eagle that the Wehrmacht had taken from the Fleet Command building in Gdynia in 1939, which was now returned to its rightful owners. Shortly after the German surrender, the Poles began raising the white-and-red flags and started the occupation of the city. On May 6, the Polish light cruiser ORP “Conrad” entered the port of Wilhelmshaven. The cruiser remained on duty overseeing the fulfillment of the capitulation terms at the German base until May 14. Polish sailors and soldiers felt joy as they witnessed the devastation in the city and the surrendering Germans.

General Grudziński settled in London after the war, where he remained active in military circles, serving as Deputy Chairman of the Military Adjudication Commission and cooperating with the Polish Museum and Sikorski Institute in London. His life tragically ended in a road accident on December 1, 1981.

Items associated with General Grudziński, such as medals and personal memorabilia, serve as a unique testament to the life of a man who devotedly served his country in its most challenging times. Each of these artifacts is not only a valuable historical souvenir but also a symbol of the unbreakable spirit of the Polish soldier.

Sources:

• “The Polish Army in the West 1939-47 Commemorative and Specialist Badges: A Collectors’ Companion” by Tony Leszczuk & Krzysztof Barbarski, 2020
• “14th Lancers Regiment of Jazłowiec – Memories and Accounts” Vol. I & II, Dudziński Antoni & Gromnicki Jan, Grajewo 2018
• “History of the Jazłowiec Lancers” Edited Collection, London 1988
• Interview with General Antoni Grudziński: https://www.polskieradio.pl/39/156/Artykul/1435899,Wilhelmshaven-Kriegsmarine-skapitulowala-przed-Polakami
• https://dobroni.pl/post/14-pulanow-wkkp-postscriptum-cz2-f647411/strona21
• https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/polish-armed-forces-second-republic-si-y-zbrojne-ii-rzeczypospolitej-polskiej-1918-1939/virtuti-militari-23061-53/
• https://przystanekhistoria.pl/pa2/tematy/polskie-wojsko/77635,Bitwa-jazlowiecka.html