The Polish II Corps ( pl, Drugi Korpus Wojska Polskiego), 1943–1947, was a major tactical and operational unit of the

Polish Armed Forces in the West The Polish Armed Forces in the West () refers to the Polish military formations formed to fight alongside the Western Allies against Nazi Germany and its allies during World War II. Polish forces were also raised within Soviet territories; th ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. It was commanded by

Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on th ...

Władysław Anders ) , birth_name = Władysław Albert Anders , birth_date = , birth_place = Krośniewice-Błonie, Warsaw Governorate, Congress Poland, Russian Empire , death_date = , death_place = London, England, United Kingdom , serviceyears ...

and fought with distinction in the Italian Campaign, in particular at the

Battle of Monte Cassino The Battle of Monte Cassino, also known as the Battle for Rome and the Battle for Cassino, was a series of four assaults made by the Allies against German forces in Italy during the Italian Campaign of World War II. The ultimate objective was ...

. By the end of 1945, the corps had grown to well over 100,000 soldiers.

History

Victims of Soviet deportations from occupied Poland in 1939–40 had been processed by the NKVD and sent to prison or exile in Siberia. The Nazi-Soviet pact of August 1939 effectively ended on 22 June 1941 when the German

Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...

invaded the USSR. The release of many thousands of former citizens of Poland (including Ukrainians and Belorussians) from the Soviet

Gulag The Gulag, an acronym for , , "chief administration of the camps". The original name given to the system of camps controlled by the State Political Directorate, GPU was the Main Administration of Corrective Labor Camps (, )., name=, group= ...

s, following the signing of the Polish-Russian Military Agreement on 14 August 1941, allowed for the creation of a Polish Army on Soviet soil. Its first commander, General

Michał Tokarzewski Michał () is a Polish and Sorbian form of Michael and may refer to: * Michał Bajor (born 1957), Polish actor and musician * Michał Chylinski (born 1986), Polish basketball player * Michał Drzymała (1857–1937), Polish rebel * Michał Heller ...

, began the task of forming this army in the Soviet town of

Totskoye Totskoye (russian: То́цкое) is a rural locality (a '' selo'') and the administrative center of Totsky District of Orenburg Oblast, Russia. Population: During World War I, it was the site of a prisoner-of-war camp that became notorio ...

on 17 August. The commander ultimately chosen by

Władysław Sikorski Władysław Eugeniusz Sikorski (; 20 May 18814 July 1943) was a Polish military and political leader. Prior to the First World War, Sikorski established and participated in several underground organizations that promoted the cause for Polish i ...

to lead the new army,

, had just been released from the Lubyanka prison in Moscow, on 4 August, and did not issue his first orders or announce his appointment as commander until 22 August. This army grew over the following two years and provided the bulk of the units and troops of the Polish II Corps. The Polish II Corps was created in 1943 from various units fighting alongside the Allies in all theatres of war. The 3rd Carpathian Rifle Division was formed in the

Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...

from smaller Polish units fighting in Egypt and Tobruk, as well as the Polish Army in the East that was evacuated from the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...

through the Persian Corridor. Its creation was based on the British

Allied Forces Act 1940 The Allied Forces Act 1940 (3 & 4 Geo. 6 c. 51) was an act of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed in late 1940, after the fall of France. The act gave legal authority for the recognised sovereign governments of Belgium, Cz ...

, which allowed the Allied units of the exiled government of Poland to be grouped in one theatre of war. However, the British High Command never agreed to incorporate the exiled

Polish Air Force The Polish Air Force ( pl, Siły Powietrzne, , Air Forces) is the aerial warfare branch of the Polish Armed Forces. Until July 2004 it was officially known as ''Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej'' (). In 2014 it consisted of roughly 16,425 mi ...

into the Corps. In February 1944, the Polish II Corps was transferred from Egypt to Italy, where it became an independent part of the

British Eighth Army The Eighth Army was an Allied field army formation of the British Army during the Second World War, fighting in the North African and Italian campaigns. Units came from Australia, British India, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Free French Force ...

, under

Lieutenant-General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

Sir Oliver Leese. During 1944–45, the Corps fought with distinction in the Italian campaign, during the fourth and final

in May 1944, the

Battle of Ancona The Battle of Ancona was a battle involving forces from Poland serving as part of the British Army against German forces that took place from 16 June–18 July 1944 during the Italian campaign in World War II. The battle was the result of an All ...

during '' Operation Olive'' (the fighting on the

Gothic Line The Gothic Line (german: Gotenstellung; it, Linea Gotica) was a German defensive line of the Italian Campaign of World War II. It formed Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's last major line of defence along the summits of the northern part of ...

in September 1944), and the Battle of Bologna during the final offensive in Italy in March 1945. The Polish Army in the Italian Campaign, 1943-1945 NA11939

The Polish Army in the Italian Campaign, 1943-1945 NA11939

In 1944, the Polish II Corps numbered about 50,000 soldiers. During three subsequent battles, it suffered heavy losses (in the final stage of the Battle of Monte Cassino, even the support units were mobilised and used in combat) and it was suggested to General Anders that he withdraw his units. However, since the Soviet Union broke off diplomatic relations with the Polish government and no Poles were allowed out of the USSR, Anders believed that the only source of recruits lay ahead – in German POW camps and concentration camps. By 1945, new units were added, composed mainly of freed POWs and Poles forcibly conscripted into the

. This increased the Corps' strength to around 75,000 men, approximately 20,000 of whom were transferred to other Polish units fighting in the West. After the war, the divisions of the Corps were used in Italy until 1946, when they were transported to Britain and demobilised. The total establishment of the Polish II Corps in 1946 was 103,000. The majority of soldiers remained in exile and settled in

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

. The Corps had a consistently high fighting reputation and was well-regarded by the American and Commonwealth troops with whom they fought. Those that settled in Britain were transported from many ports, including Toulon, France.

Composition

In May 1945, the Corps consisted of 55,780 men and approximately 1,500 women in auxiliary services. There was also a bear mascot, named Wojtek, who was officially entered onto the unit roll as a private soldier, subsequently being promoted to corporal. The majority of the Corps were Polish citizens who had been deported by the

NKVD The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (russian: Наро́дный комиссариа́т вну́тренних дел, Naródnyy komissariát vnútrennikh del, ), abbreviated NKVD ( ), was the interior ministry of the Soviet Union. ...

to the

Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

s during the Soviet Union's annexation of Eastern Poland (Kresy Wschodnie) in 1939. Following

Operation Barbarossa Operation Barbarossa (german: link=no, Unternehmen Barbarossa; ) was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and many of its Axis allies, starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during the Second World War. The operation, code-named afte ...

and the Sikorski-Mayski Agreement, many of them were released and allowed to join the

Polish Armed Forces in the East The Polish Armed Forces in the East ( pl, Polskie Siły Zbrojne na Wschodzie), also called Polish Army in the USSR, were the Polish Armed Forces, Polish military forces established in the Soviet Union during World War II. Two armies were formed ...

being formed in Southern Russia and Kazakhstan. For political reasons, the Soviet Union soon withdrew support for the creation of a Polish Army on its territory and reduced the supply rate, which resulted in General

withdrawing his troops to British-held

Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

and

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

. From there, they were moved to British-controlled Palestine, where they joined forces with the 3rd Carpathian Division, which was composed mainly of Polish soldiers who had managed to escape to French

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus lie ...

through

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

and

Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Cr ...

after the defeat of Poland in 1939. The main bulk of the soldiers were from the eastern

voivodeship A voivodeship is the area administered by a voivode (Governor) in several countries of central and eastern Europe. Voivodeships have existed since medieval times and the area of extent of voivodeship resembles that of a duchy in western medieval ...

s of pre-war Poland. Although the majority were ethnic Poles, there were also other nationalities, including Jews, Belarusians and Ukrainians. After being relocated to Palestine, many Jewish soldiers deserted and fled into the countryside. However,

Menachem Begin Menachem Begin ( ''Menaḥem Begin'' (); pl, Menachem Begin (Polish documents, 1931–1937); ''Menakhem Volfovich Begin''; 16 August 1913 – 9 March 1992) was an Israeli politician, founder of Likud and the sixth Prime Minister of Israel. ...

- the future Prime Minister of Israel and at the time a II Corps soldier - though urged by his friends to desert, refused to remove his uniform until he had been officially discharged. Polish Bugler Monte Cassino

The armament was as follows: * 248 pieces of artillery * 288

anti-tank Anti-tank warfare originated from the need to develop technology and tactics to destroy tanks during World War I. Since the Triple Entente deployed the first tanks in 1916, the German Empire developed the first anti-tank weapons. The first dev ...

guns * 234 anti-aircraft guns * 264 tanks * 1,241 APCs * 440 armoured cars * 12,064 cars,

Bren carrier The Bren gun was a series of light machine guns (LMG) made by Britain in the 1930s and used in various roles until 1992. While best known for its role as the British and Commonwealth forces' primary infantry LMG in World War II, it was also use ...

s and trucks * 1 Syrian brown bear

Wojtek (soldier bear) Wojtek (1942 – 2 December 1963; ; in English, sometimes spelled Voytek and pronounced as such) was a Syrian brown bear (''Ursus arctos syriacus'') bought, as a young cub, at a railway station in Hamadan, Iran, by Polish II Corps soldiers who ...

Losses

During the Italian Campaign, the Polish II Corps lost 11,379 men. Among them were 2,301 killed in action, 8,543

wounded in action Wounded in Action (WIA) describes combatants who have been wounded while fighting in a combat zone during wartime, but have not been killed. Typically, it implies that they are temporarily or permanently incapable of bearing arms or continuing ...

and 535

missing in action Missing in action (MIA) is a casualty classification assigned to combatants, military chaplains, combat medics, and prisoners of war who are reported missing during wartime or ceasefire. They may have been killed, wounded, captured, ex ...

. Of the 2,301 killed, 1,079 died during the

and are interred at the Monte Cassino Polish war cemetery, several hundred meters from the rebuilt abbey.

Order of battle

Corps Organisation April 1944

*HQ 2 Polish Corps *2 Armoured Brigade *AGPA - Army Group of Polish Artillery *3 Carpathian Division **12 Podolski Recce Regt. (Dismounted) **1 Carpathian Rifle Brigade ***1,2,3 Battalions **2 Squadron ***7 Armoured Regiment **2 Carpathian Rifles Brigade ***4,5,6 Battalions *5 Kresowa Division **5 Wilenska Infantry Brigade ***13,14,15 and 18 Battalions **3 Squadron ***4 Armoured Regiment **HQ6 ***Lwowska Infantry Brigade ***15 Poznaski Recce Regiment (Dismounted) ***Capathian Lancers Regiment (Dismounted) **Division Reserve ***16, 17 Battalion

1946

At the time of its demobilisation in 1946, the 2nd Polish Corps establishment was as follows: (Note that there were some differences between this order of battle and the one at the time of the battle for Monte Cassino in 1944.) Oznaka3dsk

* Polish 3rd Carpathian Infantry Division CO: Maj. Gen. Bronisław Duch **1st

Carpathian The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians () are a range of mountains forming an arc across Central Europe. Roughly long, it is the third-longest European mountain range after the Urals at and the Scandinavian Mountains at . The range stretches ...

Rifle Brigade ***1st Carpathian Rifle Battalion ***2nd Carpathian Rifle Battalion ***3rd Carpathian Rifle Battalion **2nd Carpathian Rifle Brigade ***4th Carpathian Rifle Battalion ***5th Carpathian Rifle Battalion ***6th Carpathian Rifle Battalion **3rd Carpathian Rifle Brigade ***7th Carpathian Rifle Battalion ***8th Carpathian Rifle Battalion ***9th "Boloński" Carpathian Rifle Battalion (Named for liberating Bologna) **Other Divisional Units ***7th Lubelski

Uhlan Uhlans (; ; ; ; ) were a type of light cavalry, primarily armed with a lance. While first appearing in the cavalry of Lithuania and then Poland, Uhlans were quickly adopted by the mounted forces of other countries, including France, Russia, Pr ...

Regiment (Divisional

Reconnaissance In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities. Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops ( skirmishe ...

) ***1st Carpathian Light Artillery Regiment ***2nd Carpathian Light Artillery Regiment ***3rd Carpathian Light Artillery Regiment ***3rd Carpathian Anti-tank Regiment ***3rd Light Anti-aircraft Regiment ***3rd Heavy Machine Gun Battalion ***3rd Carpathian Sapper (Engineer) Battalion ****1st Carpathian Field Engineer Company ****2nd Carpathian Field Engineer Company ****3rd Carpathian Field Engineer Company ****3rd Carpathian Field Park Company ***3rd Carpathian Signals Battalion Zubr 2

5th Kresowa Infantry Division The Polish 5th Kresowa Infantry Division ( pl, 5 Kresowa Dywizja Piechoty) was an infantry division of the Polish Armed Forces in the West during World War II. Formed in March 1943, it fought in the Italian Campaign as part of Lieutenant gener ...

CO: Brig. Gen.

Nikodem Sulik Nikodem Sulik-Sarnowski (August 15, 1893 – January 14, 1954; noms de guerre Jodko, Jod, Karol, and Sarnowski) was an officer of the Russian Imperial Army, and Generał brygady of the Polish Army. Biography Born August 15, 1893 in the village of ...

**4th Wolyńska Infantry Brigade ***10th Wolyńska Rifle Battalion ***11th Wolyńska Rifle Battalion ***12th Wolyńska Rifle Battalion **5th

Wilno Vilnius ( , ; see also #Etymology and other names, other names) is the capital and List of cities in Lithuania#Cities, largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the munic ...

Infantry Brigade ***13th Wilenski Rifle Battalion "Rysiow" ***14th Wilenski Rifle Battalion "Zbikow" ***15th Wilenski Rifle Battalion "Wilkow" **6th Lwów Infantry Brigade ***16th Lwowski Rifle Battalion ***17th Lwowski Rifle Battalion ***18th Lwowski Rifle Battalion **Other divisional unit ***25th Wielkopolski

Regiment ***4th Kresowy Light Artillery Regiment ***5th Wileński Light Artillery Regiment ***6th Lwowski Light Artillery Regiment ***5th Kresowy Anti-tank Regiment ***5th Kresowy Light Anti-aircraft Regiment ***5th Kresowy Heavy Machine Gun Battalion ***5th Kresowa Sapper (Engineer) Battalion ****4th Kresowa Field Engineer Company ****5th Kresowa Field Engineer Company ****6th Kresowa Field Engineer Company ****5th Kresowa Field Park Company ***5th Kresowy Signals Battalion ****5th Military Police (Provost) Squadron 2wdpanc 1

*2nd Warsaw Armoured Division. CO: Brig.Gen. Bronisław Rakowski **Carpathian

/Lancer Regiment (Divisional Reconnaissance) ** 2nd Warsaw Armoured Brigade ***4th ‘Skorpion’ Armoured Regiment ***1st Krechowiecki

Regiment ***6th ‘Children of Lwów’ Armoured Regiment ***2nd Motorised Independent Polish

Commando Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin">40_Commando.html" ;"title="Royal Marines from 40 Commando">Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin area of Afghanistan are pictured A commando is a combatant, or operativ ...

Company **16th Pomorska Infantry Brigade ***64th Pomorski Infantry Battalion ***66th Pomorski Infantry Battalion ***68th Pomorski Infantry Battalion ****16th Pomorski Support Company **Other divisional units ***HQ Division Artillery ***7th Horse Artillery Regiment ***16th Pomorski Light Artillery Regiment ***2nd Anti-tank Regiment ***2nd Light Anti-aircraft Regiment ***2nd Warszawski Signals Battalion ***2nd Warszawski Engineer Battalion ****9th Forward Tank Replacement Squadron ****9th Supply Company ****19th Supply Company ****28th Supply Company ****9th Workshop Company ****16th Workshop Company ****2nd Armoured Division Military Police (Provost) Company *****9th Field Court *****343 Anti-malaria Section Pantera 1

*14th WIELKOPOLSKA Armoured Brigade **

15th Poznań Uhlans Regiment 15 (fifteen) is the natural number following 14 and preceding 16. Mathematics 15 is: * A composite number, and the sixth semiprime; its proper divisors being , and . * A deficient number, a smooth number, a lucky number, a pernicious num ...

(Previously part of 5th Kresowa Division) **3rd Śląsk

Regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscript ...

**10th Hussar Regiment ***14th Forward Tank Replacement Squadron ***14th Wielkopolska Engineer Company ***14th Wielkopolska Signals Squadron ****14th Workshop Company ****14th Supply Company ***14th Military Police (Provost) Squadron ***16th Field Court Odznaka 2 KP PSZ

* Headquarters 2nd Corps **12th Podolski

(Headquarters Recce) (Previously part of 3rd Carpathian Rifle Division) ** 7th Armoured Regiment **7th Anti-tank Regiment **7th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment **8th Medium Anti-aircraft Regiment ** 10th Hussar Regiment **1st Artillery Survey Regiment ** 663 Polish Air Observation Post Squadron ***2nd Corp General Staff Defence Company *2nd Corps Artillery Group CO: Brig. Gen. LUDWIG ZABKOWSKI **9th Heavy Artillery Regiment **10th Medium Artillery Regiment Unit Code 3501 **11th Medium Artillery Regiment **12th Medium Artillery Regiment **13th Medium Artillery Regiment *Other HQ Units **10th Engineer Battalion **1st Railway Engineer Battalion **10th Bridge Engineer Company **10th Bomb Disposal Platoon **301 Engineer Company **306 Engineer Material Park Platoon **11th Signals Battalion ***11th Radio Platoon ***12th Information Platoon ***385 Signals Company ***386 Signals Platoon ***387 Signals Platoon ***389 Radio Platoon ***104 Cipher Section ***390 Signals Company ***392 Radio Platoon ***Air Traffic Control Platoon ***21st Transport Company ***22nd Transport Company (Artillery Supply Company) Wojtek soldier bear

****61 Artillery Supply Platoon ****62 Artillery Supply Platoon ****63 Artillery Supply Platoon ****64 Artillery Supply Platoon ****65 Artillery Supply Platoon ***23rd Transport Company ***29th Ambulance Company ***2nd Traffic Control Squadron ***11th Military Police (Provost) Squadron ***12th Military Police (Provost) Squadron ***460 Military Police (Provost) Squadron ****Investigation Platoon ****Dog Handling Platoon ***12th Field Court ***13th Workshop Company ****30th Independent Workshop Platoon ***35th Workshop Company ***12th Geographic Company ****312 Map Store ***316 Transport Company: Women's Auxiliary Service (Poland) ***317 Transport Company: Women's Auxiliary Service (Poland) ***318 Mobile Canteen/Mobile Library Company: Women's Auxiliary Service (Poland) ***325 Supply Depot ***326 Supply Depot ***327 Supply Depot Szostak gratulacje

***328 Supply Depot ***331 Field Bakery ***332 Field Bakery ***333 Field Butchery ***334 Fuel Depot ***335 Fire Fighting Team ***336 Stationery Supplies Depot ***31st Sanitary (Medical) Company ***32nd Field Hygiene Platoon ***34th Anti-malaria Section ***Field Chemical-Bacteriological Section ***344 Medical Supplies Depot ***345 Field Surgery Team ***346 Field Surgery Team ***347 Field Surgery Team ***348 Field Surgery Team ***349 Field Blood Transfusion Team ***350 Field Surgery Team ***351 Field Surgery Team ***352 Field Blood Transfusion Team ***370 Material Salvage Depot ***371 Material Salvage Depot ***372 Material Salvage Depot ***375 Field Bath ***375 Field Bath and Laundry ***40 Material Park: Transport Section ***413 Forward Ammunition Depot ***104 Central Field Post Office ****117 Field Post Office ****127 Field Post Office ***55 Mobile Stores Repair Platoon *2nd Corps Base CO:Gen Przewlocki **Guard Battalion A **Guard Battalion B **Guard Battalion C **Guard Battalion D **1st Military Hospital **3rd Military Hospital **3rd Field Hospital (Former 3rd Casualty Clearing Station) **5th Field Hospital (Former 5th Casualty Clearing Station) **14th Field Court ***Officer Topographic School ***Officer Cadet Reserve Artillery School ***Officer Cadet Supply & Transport School *** Armoured Forces Training Centre CO LtCol Stanislaw Szostak ***''General W. Anders'' Officer Cadet Armoured Cavalry School *7th Infantry Division Reserve Unit **17th Infantry Brigade ***21st Infantry Battalion ***22nd Infantry Battalion ***7th Armoured Regiment ***17th Artillery Regiment ****17th Machine Gun Company ****17th Engineer Company ****17th Signals Company ****17th Workshop Company ****17th Engineer Company ****17th Military Police (Provost) Squadron

Battles / Operations

In Italy

1: Defensive Operations on the Sangro Line (31 January - 15 April 1944) (

Winter Line The Winter Line was a series of German and Italian military fortifications in Italy, constructed during World War II by Organisation Todt and commanded by Albert Kesselring. The series of three lines was designed to defend a western section ...

Gustav Line The Winter Line was a series of German and Italian military fortifications in Italy, constructed during World War II by Organisation Todt and commanded by Albert Kesselring. The series of three lines was designed to defend a western section ...

) 2: The Battle of Monte Cassino ( Operation Diadem) * Fourth

(24 April - 17 May 1944) * Capture of Piedmonte (20–25 May 1944) 3: Operations in Emilian Apennines - (

Operation Olive The Gothic Line (german: Gotenstellung; it, Linea Gotica) was a German Defense line, defensive line of the Italian Campaign (World War II), Italian Campaign of World War II. It formed Generalfeldmarschall, Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's la ...

) * First

(30 June - 9 July 1944) * Second

(17–19 July 1944) * The Battle of Cesena-Forli (14 August 1944) * The Battle of Forli (14 November 1944, 24 November 1944) * The Three Battles of Faenza (14 November - 17 December 1944) 4: Defence of Senio River (2 January - 5 April 1945) 5: Lombardy Campaign - Spring 1945 offensive in Italy / Operation Grapeshot - Operation Buckland * Battles between Senio and Santerno Rivers (9 - 12 April 1945) * Battle of Argenta Gap / Battle for the Gaiana River (16 - 21 April 1945) * Capture/ Battle of Bologna (21 April 1945) * Last Operations of the Polish Corps - Defeat of German Armies South of the River Po (21 April - 2 May 1945).

Notes

References

* * * * * * * * * * * * * (Article by former pilot of 663 DSA on the 50th anniversary of the unit and continue the tradition of the British 663 Squadron) * * * * * * * * *

External links

* An Illustrated History of the Polish II Corps. Mieczyslaw Kuczynski. - http://waldemar.x10host.com/dzieje/
The Polish II Corps at Monte Cassino
* https://www.polishexilesofww2.org/ * https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/2018/12/10/the-polish-ii-corps-in-italy/ * https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/2016/09/12/surging-toward-the-alps-last-battles-of-the-italian-campaign/ * https://www.polishgreatness.com/creationofsecondpolishcorp.html * Museum of the Polish Second Corps - https://2korpus.pl/en/monte-cassino-ancona-bologna/ * New Zealands Italian Campaign - http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-2Ita.html * Museum of the 2nd Polish Corps in Józefów - https://2korpus.pl/monte-cassino-ankona-bolonia/ Operation Buckland *http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/operation_buckland_argenta.html *https://codenames.info/operation/buckland/ Operation Grapeshot *http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/operation_grapeshot_spring_offensive.html *https://codenames.info/operation/grapeshot/ {{DEFAULTSORT:Ii Corps (Poland) 2 Military units and formations established in 1943 Military units and formations disestablished in 1947