80 years ago, on May 25, 1944, a week after the fight for Monte Cassino, Polish soldiers from the 2nd Corps captured fortified and defended by the Germans Piedimonte San Germano. Today, veterans of General Władysław Anders' army, along with the state delegation, paid tribute to colleagues who died in this Italian town. Residents of the village besides attended the ceremony.
– Polish soldiers who went through a hard road to the army General Władysław Anders, they fought a dense fight that opened the way for the Allied people to Rome – said Margaret Kidawa-Błońska, Marshal of the legislature during the ceremony in Piedimonte San Germano in Italy. The celebrations on the hill, where the 6th Armoured Regiment "Children of Lviv" stands, were part of the celebration of the 80th anniversary The conflict of Monte Cassino. Among them were veterans 2nd Polish Corps, State delegation, military and scouts. As the marshal added, many Polish soldiers remained in this Italian town forever. “That is why there is besides a part of Poland here and there is inactive a memory of our soldiers, large patriots,” said Kidawa-Błońska.
The politician pointed out that there is simply a war going on outside the Polish border, which is why it is so crucial that we jointly cultivate freedom and keep peace in the world. Gioacchino Ferdinandi, Mayor of Piedimonte, besides referred to the hard safety situation in Europe. "The current situation shows how crucial it is to make young people aware of the importance of peace," he said. Ferdinandi added that Poles gave Italy a large lesson in life and left the legacy of love for freedom.
On the another hand, Lech Parell, head of the Office for Combatants and Represented Persons, noted that in the spring of 1944 the Germans converted the medieval town located on an impenetrable hill into a fortress. The head of the UdsKiOR recalled the words of Colonel Marian Tomaszewski, a soldier of the 6th Armored Regiment and a associate a fewer years ago. Battle of Piedimonte. The Kombatant said that this was the hardest fight of the 2nd Polish Corps. “The Germans turned all building in the town into a bunker and thought that no 1 could get this fortress,” said the veteran.
Parell besides stressed that tanks from the 6th Armored Regiment played a decisive function in the fight for Piedimonte and that the armored troops showed bravado, breaking German defence and entering the village. – On the 80th anniversary of these fights we pay tribute to the liberators of Piedimonte, who fought for our freedom and yours," he said.
During the ceremony, the head of UdsKiOR handed the medals “Pro Patria” and “Pro bono Poloniae” to the people who deserve to know about the struggles for independency and to cultivate their memory. On the another hand, the children of the local school put on Polish combatants made by them poppies, a symbol of the fight for the masses of Monte Cassino. The celebration ended with the appeal of the fallen and the laying of wreaths and flowers at the monument of the 6th Armored Regiment.
After the capture by the 2nd Polish Corps of Monte Cassino and the break of the German line of Gustav, the soldiers of General Władysław Anders received orders to capture the Liri valley located on the northern slope close the hill of the town of Piedimonte San Germano. The Germans made it a strong defensive bastion on Hitler's alleged line that blocked the Allied way to Rome. The towns were defended by the elite units of the 1st Paradox Division.
The capture of this fortress was entrusted to the “Bob” group led by Colonel Władysław Bobinski, which included units little exhausted by fighting on Monte Cassino, including the 6th Armoured Regiment “Children of Lviv”. Polish troops on 20 May entered the attack. On 20–22 May Poles attacked German positions 3 times unsuccessfully. Only on the night of 24 to 25 May threatened with winging The Germans began retreating. Piedimonte was occupied by Polish troops on the morning of 25 May, which allowed the Allied to march to Rome. 208 Polish soldiers were killed or injured in the fighting.
