In the morning after 2 days of fighting, Polish soldiers noticed a white flag over the Benedictine monastery on Monte Cassino. Before 10 a.m., the Polish branch suspended over the rubble a regimental proponent and a white-red banner, and at noon spit. Emil Czech played a mariatic heennial. It was Thursday 18 May 1944. That day came the end of 1 of the most celebrated battles of planet War II.
Ruins of the monastery after the fighting ended
Monte Cassino Hill in Italy was a key defensive point of the alleged Gustaw Line, a reinforced belt of German fortifications that lost the Apeninian Peninsula, guarding the way from Naples to Rome. “The massif, on which Benedictine Abbey is placed, was defended by the elite German 1st Paradistrict Division and mountain regiments”, says Dr. Marian Cieszynski, a historian investigating the past of the Polish Armed Forces in the West. As of January 1944, Allied forces 3 times unsuccessfully attempted to gain these fortifications, US, English, French, Indian and fresh Zealand troops were active in the attacks. "Although the monastery of Monte Cassino was bombarded, even though troops and allied tanks temporarily reached the neighboring hills, even though only debris remained from Cassino city, The Germans maintained this point of opposition and continued to close the road to Rome," he wrote General Władysław AndersCommander 2nd Polish Corps, in the memoirs "Without the Last Chapter".
In the 4th attack, the task of gaining the hill was entrusted to the Polish 2 KP soldiers who were transferred to the Italian front from the mediate East in late 1943. The first Polish attack began at night from 11 to 12 May. Unfortunately, although the 2nd Corps troops managed to occupy any of the hills around the monastery at first, the German counterattack forced a retreat. "The attack failed, but forced the opponent to uncover his defensive positions, which helped with the next attack," explains the historian.
2nd Polish Corps at the conflict of Monte Cassino. General Oliver Leese (1st from the right), commander of the British 8th Army in the company of Generals 2nd Polish Corps. From left: Nikodem Sulik, Zygmunt Bohusz-Szyszko, Władysław Anders.
The fights resumed on May 16th at night. After dense clashes, 2 KP troops scored strategical points: the Spectre hills, 593, Monte Castellone and Massa Albaneta. At the end of May 17, Poles broke the northern edge of the defensive ring, mastering Colle San Angelo. proceeding the bang of the cannon and the sounds of the fight, on the night of 17-18 May Felix Konarski, a 2 KP soldier and composer, wrote the first 2 verses of the celebrated song "Red poppies on Monte Cassino". On the same night, Germany, fearing the lap by Polish forces, withdrew from the hill. First as a reconnaissance to the ruins of the monastery arrived patrol of the 12th Podolski Ulan Regiment commanded by Lieutenant Kazimierz Gurbiel. Before 10:00 a.m., the Polish branch suspended over the rubble, sewn in anticipation of the 12th Regiment, followed by the Polish and British flag. respective twelve wounded German soldiers and paramedics were taken prisoner, according to various data.
"If I were given the choice to choose between any soldiers I wanted under my command, I would choose you – Poles" – General Harold Alexander, commander of the 15th British Army Group, wrote after the battle. The road to Rome was open, the capital of Italy was captured on 4 June. On September 1, 1945, the Polish War Cemetery opened at Monte Cassino's feet. It includes 1057 Polish soldiers and General Władysław Anders, who died in London in 1970. On the wall around the cemetery it was written: “Come on, tell Poland that we have fallen faithful in her service.”
