Bolesław Bronisław Duch
- Birth Date:
- 15.11.1896
- Death date:
- 09.10.1980
- Extra names:
- Bolesław Bronisław Duch
- Categories:
- General, Legionary, WWI participant, WWII participant
- Nationality:
- pole
- Cemetery:
- Polish Cemetery at Monte Cassino
Bolesław Bronisław Duch (1885–1980) was a Polish Major General and General Inspector of the Armed Forces in 1980.
Duch served during World War I, 1914–18, in the Polish Legions. After Poland regained independence, he served in the Polish Army. In 1935-1938 he commanded the 73rd Infantry Regiment. At the outbreak of World War II, the commander of the 39th Reserve Infantry Division General Bruno Olbrycht was ill and the division was de facto commanded by Duch.
After Poland was overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union in September 1939, Duch managed to evade capture and served in western Europe, becoming commander successively of the Polish 1st Grenadier Division in France (1940), 1st Rifle Brigade of the 1st Polish Corps in Scotland (1942–43), and of the 3rd Carpathian Infantry Division of the 2nd Polish Corps (1943–46).
In 1947, Duch settled in London and became chairman of the Council of the World Polish Veterans' Association. He was the last General Inspector of the Armed Forces (from February 1980 until his death in October that year).
Promotions
- 1914: Lieutenant
- 1919: First Lieutenant
- 1919: Captain
- 1924: Major
- 1929: Lieutenant Colonel
- 1938: Colonel
- 1940: Brigadier
- 1945: Major General
Decorations
- Knight's Cross of the Virtuti Militari (1 June 1945), Gold Cross (1940) and Silver Cross
- Commander's Cross with Star of the Polonia Restituta
- Cross of Merit (Poland), with Swords
- Cross of Valour (Poland), 8 times
- Cross of Independence
- Gold Cross of Merit with Swords
- Gold Cross of Merit
- Croix de Guerre
- Military Cross
- Medal Międzysojuszniczy "Medaille Interalliée"
Source: wikipedia.org
No places
| Relation name | Relation type | Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Władysław Anders | Commander | |
| 2 |  | Henryk Skrzypiński | Soldier |
01.09.1939 | Invasion of Poland
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War (Polish: Kampania wrześniowa or Wojna obronna 1939 roku) in Poland and the Poland Campaign (German: Polenfeldzug) or Fall Weiß (Case White) in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the beginning of World War II in Europe. The German invasion began on 1 September 1939, one week after the signing of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, while the Soviet invasion commenced on 17 September following the Molotov-Tōgō agreement which terminated the Russian and Japanese hostilities (Nomonhan incident) in the east on 16 September. The campaign ended on 6 October with Germany and the Soviet Union dividing and annexing the whole of Poland.