Name Wladyslaw Mackiewicz | ||
W adys aw mackiewicz ostatnie po egnanie
Władysław Mackiewicz (21 December 1903 – 19 May 1963) was a Polish Cavalry Captain (rotmistrz) in the 15th Uhlan Regiment and a recipient of the Virtuti Militari, Poland's highest decoration.
He was 17 when the Polish - Russian war broke out (it seems that he did not take part).
From 15 August 1927 till June – August 1928 he graduated 5th class of Cavalry Officer Cadet School in Grudziadz.
In 1930 he was a cavalry sub-lieutenant with a rank adulthood starting with 15 August 1927. In that time he served in 7th Uhlan Regiment in Mińsk Mazowiecki.
Władysław Mackiewicz was a sub-lieutenant in the 7th Regiment
According to pictures (a round, English-style cap) he served also in a prestigious 1st Lancers Regiment in Warsaw somewhere in the 1930s.
On 1 March 1939, Mackiewicz as a lieutenant was an administration officer in the 15th Uhlan Regiment in Poznań.
On 19 March he was promoted to cavalry captain. Starting with 3 April 1939 he became a commander of the 2nd Cavalry Squadron in the Regiment but he didn't take over his duties until 12 May 1939. Seven days later, that is on 19 May he arrived back to Central Cavalry School in Grudziadz to take part in the XXI Cavalry Squadron Commanders course.
Also in 1939 he received a of the 15th Uhlan Regiment which was considered as becoming a part of the unit.
On the day of German attack he was a commander of the 2nd Squadron in the 15th Uhlan Regiment, which was a part of Wielkopolska Cavalry Brigade. The Regiment including Władysław Mackiewicz Squadron, started a big counter offensive, which is known as a Bzura Battle (9–18 September). This is considered to be the 15th Uhlan Regiment during the battle
For his courageous achievements he was granted, by col. Strzelecki (who was a substitute commander for a wounded gen. Abraham), at the last gathering of the unit in Warsaw (27 September) he received a highest Polish Army medal – Virtuti Militari. He became a Prisoner of War and was taken to Murnau prison of war camp for Officers.
Commander of the 15th Regiment makes his last goodbyes to his soldiers on 27 September 1939 after the ceremony during which Mackiewicz received a medal.
Mackiewicz reached the re-established 15th Uhlans Regiment in Italy in the II Polish Corps, and was probably a staff officer. Then the regiment was transported to Egypt and after that again to Italy. In June 1946 the unit was redeployed to Browning Camp (Horsham near London). In 1947 the unit was disbanded.
Some of the soldiers went back home. All of them were arrested and kept (tortured) in prisons until 1956. Western Allies never allowed Poles to take part in a Victory Parade in London as the only nation that didn't take part.