The 2nd Polish Corps (), 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 Armed Forces, Polish military formations formed to fight alongside the Allies of World War II, Western Allies against Nazi Germany and its Axis powers, allies during World War II. Poli ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. It was commanded by

Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank 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 battlefield, who was norma ...

Władysław Anders Władysław Albert Anders (11 August 1892 – 12 May 1970) was a Polish military officer and politician, and prominent member of the Polish government-in-exile in London. Born in Krośniewice-Błonie, then part of the Russian Empire, he serv ...

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, was a series of four military assaults by the Allies of World War II, Allies against Nazi Germany, German forces in Kingdom of Italy, Italy during the Italian Campaign (World War ...

. 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 German Army (1935–1945), ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmac ...

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

Gulag The Gulag was a system of Labor camp, forced labor camps in the Soviet Union. The word ''Gulag'' originally referred only to the division of the Chronology of Soviet secret police agencies, Soviet secret police that was in charge of runnin ...

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, began the task of forming this army in the Soviet village of Totskoye 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. Before World War I, Sikorski established and participated in several underground organizations that promoted the cause of Polish independenc ...

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 (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...

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 Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

through the Persian Corridor. Its creation was based on the British Allied Forces Act 1940, 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 () is the aerial warfare Military branch, 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 26,000 military personnel an ...

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 a field army of the British Army during the Second World War. It was formed as the Western Army on 10 September 1941, in Egypt, before being renamed the Army of the Nile and then the Eighth Army on 26 September. It was cr ...

, under

Lieutenant-General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank 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 battlefield, who was normall ...

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 during ''

Operation Olive The Gothic Line (; ) was a German and Italian 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 the Apennine Mountains du ...

'' (the fighting on the

Gothic Line The Gothic Line (; ) was a German and Italian 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 the Apennine Mountains du ...

in September 1944), and the Battle of Bologna during the final offensive in Italy in March 1945. 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 POW is "prisoner of war", a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. POW or pow may also refer to: Music * P.O.W (Bullet for My Valentine song), "P.O.W" (Bull ...

camps and concentration camps. During the fighting in Italy in June 1944, the II corps was considered to be the most determined formation in the entire British 8th Army as the British historian H.P. Willmott wrote: "in the Allied camp the Poles were probably unequalled in their willingness and determination to get to close quarters with the enemy". On 12 June 1944, the Polish 3rd Carpathian Division had replaced the 4th Indian Division along the Penne-Atri-Pineto line. The II corps was assigned to lead the Allied advance along the Adriatic Sea and by 20 June 1944 the Poles had reached Fermo and were closing in on Ancona. After advancing 60 miles over a four day period, the II corps was halted by a German counterattack which drove the Poles back to the Chienti river. 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: * Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales * The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...

, although some elected to settle in other countries such as Canada or Australia, either obtaining immigration visas there or relying on previous ties for repatriation. 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, one bear and approximately 1,500 women in auxiliary services. Their bear mascot, named Wojtek, 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 (, ), abbreviated as NKVD (; ), was the interior ministry and secret police of the Soviet Union from 1934 to 1946. The agency was formed to succeed the Joint State Political Directorate (OGPU) se ...

to the

Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

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

Operation Barbarossa Operation Barbarossa was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and several of its European Axis allies starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during World War II. More than 3.8 million Axis troops invaded the western Soviet Union along ...

and the Sikorski-Mayski Agreement, many of them were released and allowed to join the Polish Armed Forces in the East 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 (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

and

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

. From there, they were moved to British-controlled

Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...

, 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, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

through

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

and

Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...

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

voivodeship A voivodeship ( ) or voivodate 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 ...

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

, many Jewish soldiers deserted and fled into the countryside. However,

Menachem Begin Menachem Begin ( ''Menaḥem Begin'', ; (Polish documents, 1931–1937); ; 16 August 1913 – 9 March 1992) was an Israeli politician, founder of both Herut and Likud and the prime minister of Israel. Before the creation of the state of Isra ...

– 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 refers to the military strategies, tactics, and weapon systems designed to counter and destroy enemy armored vehicles, particularly tanks. It originated during World War I following the first deployment of tanks in 1916, and ...

guns * 234 anti-aircraft guns * 264 tanks * 1,241 APCs * 440 armoured cars * 12,064 cars, Bren carriers and trucks * 1 Syrian brown bear Wojtek (soldier bear)

Losses

During the Italian Campaign, the Polish II Corps lost 11,379 men. Among them were 2,301

killed in action Killed in action (KIA) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their personnel at the hands of enemy or hostile forces at the moment of action. The United States Department of Defense, for example, ...

, 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 (person), casualty classification assigned to combatants, military chaplains, combat medics, and prisoner of war, prisoners of war who are reported missing during wartime or ceasefire. They may have been ...

. 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

Source: * 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) *** Carpathian 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 and Southeast Europe. Roughly long, it is the third-longest European mountain range after the Urals at and the Scandinavian Mountains at ...

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 Uhlan (; ; ; ; ) is a type of light cavalry, primarily armed with a lance. The uhlans started as Grand Ducal Lithuanian Army, Lithuanian irregular cavalry, that were later also adopted by other countries during the 18th century, including Polis ...

Regiment (Divisional

Reconnaissance In military operations, military reconnaissance () or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, the terrain, and civil activities in the area of operations. In military jargon, reconnai ...

) *** 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 CO: Brig. Gen. Nikodem Sulik ** 4th Wolyńska Infantry Brigade *** 10th Wolyńska Rifle Battalion *** 11th Wolyńska Rifle Battalion *** 12th Wolyńska Rifle Battalion ** 5th

Wilno Vilnius ( , ) is the capital of and List of cities in Lithuania#Cities, largest city in Lithuania and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, most-populous city in the Baltic states. The city's estimated January 2025 population w ...

Infantry Brigade *** 13th Wilenski Rifle Battalion "Rysiow" *** 14th Wilenski Rifle Battalion "Zbikow" *** 15th Wilenski Rifle Battalion "Wilkow" ** 6th

Lwów Lviv ( or ; ; ; see #Names and symbols, below for other names) is the largest city in western Ukraine, as well as the List of cities in Ukraine, fifth-largest city in Ukraine, with a population of It serves as the administrative centre of ...

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 A commando is a combatant, or operative of an elite light infantry or special operations force, specially trained for carrying out raids and operating in small teams behind enemy lines. Originally, "a commando" was a type of combat unit, as oppo ...

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 Horse artillery was a type of light, fast-moving, and fast-firing field artillery that consisted of light cannons or howitzers attached to light but sturdy two-wheeled carriages called caissons or limbers, with the individual crewmen riding on h ...

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 (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, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

** 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 Armoured Forces Training Centre - Armoured Forces Training Centre of the Polish Armed Forces in the West, Polish Forces in the West. In December 1944 Gen Władysław Anders, Anders ordered formation of the Armoured Forces Training Centre in Italy ...

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

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

(24 April – 17 May 1944) *

Capture of Piedmonte Capture may refer to: Arts and entertainment * "Capture", a song by Simon Townshend * Capture (band), an Australian electronicore band previously known as Capture the Crown * ''Capture'' (TV series), a reality show Television episodes * "Chapter ...

(20–25 May 1944) 3: operations in Emilian Apennines (

/ Gothic Line) * First Battle of Ancona (30 June – 9 July 1944) * Second Battle of Ancona (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 The Spring 1945 offensive in Italy, codenamed Operation Grapeshot, was the final Allies of World War II, Allied attack during the Italian Campaign (World War II), Italian Campaign in the final stages of the Second World War. The attack in the Lom ...

/ 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