PERSONALIA
 
Name:  Fialkowski, Zbigniew Stefan
Date of birth: November 14th, 1910 (Mielec, Poland)
Date of death:  November 18th, 1997 (Kraków, Poland)
Nationality:  Polish
BIOGRAPHY: 
Zbigniew Fialkowski served as 2nd Lieutenant Artillery in the Polish Army during the German invasion of Poland in 1939. After the capitulation, Fialkowski arrived in France to join the Allies. After the defeat of the Allies in France in 1940, he was evacuated to Great Brittain. He followed a number of military traing courses and was dispatched to Palestine in 1942 and from there to Iraq in 1943. In 1944 he was transferred to Italy where he fought against the Germans in Isernia, Monte Cassino, Apolinnare, San Vito, Fileto, Monte Marciano, Numana, Sunliano, Rocca, San Casciano, Pieve, Salutare, Revere, Santa Lucia and Marceno, commanding an anti-aircraft battery. July 2nd, 1944, Fialkowski was promoted to Captain. He also took part in the Allied Spring offensive in 1945 between April 6th and May 2nd and was engaged in the bitter battles for Rimini, Ravenne, Cesenatico, Costa Monte, Calette, Bruciate, Castel Guelfo di Bolongia and Granarole.
October 7th, 1947 he was discharged from the Army.

Promotions:
1931: Cadet;
1934: 2nd Lieutenant;
?: 1st Lieutenant;
2 July 2nd, 1944: Captain.

Ranks:
Polish Army in 1939: Officer
British Army: Captain


Career:
1929: Graduation from University;
1929: public authorities Jaroslaw;
1931: School of Cadets for Reserv Officers “Marcina Katskiego” 24e Regiment Artillerie in Włodzimierz (VI Kurs Wolynskiej Szkoly Podchorazych Rezerwy Artylerii 1930-1931);
1932: public authorities Rawa Ruska and member of L.O.P.P. (Liga Obrony Powietrznej i Przeciwgazowej);
1938: PZL (Panstwowe Zaklady Lotnicze) in WP-2 (Wytwórnia Platowców-2) in Mielec;
1938: training as commander anti-aircraft at the School of Cadets in Torun;
1939: commander air defense of airports and factories in Mielec;
September 1st, 1939: mobilisation;
September 6th, 1939: Commander anti-aircraft battery at the “Lignoza” works in Pustków;
September 8th, 1939: 11 Dywizjonu Artylerii Przeciwlotniczej (11th Anti-aircraft Division);
September 19th, 1939 – March 5th, 1940: Prison camp for Polish soldiers in Ipolytarnóc;
March 6th, 1940: escape;
April 17th, 1940: to Marseille aboard the vessel “Warzawa” ;
?: militairy staging camp in Carpiagne, France;
?: training center for officers anti-aircraft artillery in Pontchateau;
June 18th, 1940: evacuated to Edinburough, Scotland;
June 20th, 1940 – June 16th, 1942: Great-Brittan;
June 1940: 4th Brigade Cadet School in Elie;
September 1941: 1st Polish Independent Parachutist Brigade;
?: training center for anti-aircraft artillery;
June 16, 1942: 3rd Karpathian Air Artillery Regiment (3 Karpackiego Pulk Artylerii Przeciwlotniczej), 3rd Polish Karpathian Infantry Division (3 Dywizja Strzelców Karpackich), Palestine;
November 13th, 1943: Battery Commander of 7th Air Artillery Regiment (7 Pulk Artylerii Przeciwlotniczej), Iraq;
Januari 9th, 1943 – September 29th, 1943: deputy CO of Battalion 1;
1944: Egypt;
February 4th, 1944: 2nd Polish Corps, Italy;
June 21st, 1945: Commander Battalion 1, 3rd Karpathian Air Artillery Regiment;
August 21st, 1946 – June 5th, 1947: Great-Brittan;
June 7th, 1947: Polish demobilisation camp, La Courtine;
October 7th, 1947: discharge;
May 24th, 1948: Poland;
July 1st, 1948: Cattle farmer;
?: Engineer in Mielec.
     
ZNAK CICHOCIEMNYCH
Rank: Podporucznik (2nd Lieutenant)
Awarded on: 1941
 
     
KRZYZ WALECZNYCH
Rank: Kapitan (Captain)
Unit: 7 Pulk Artylerii Przeciwlotniczej (7th Polish Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment)
Awarded on: February 15th, 1945
 
     
KRZYZ MONTE CASSINO
Rank: Kapitan (Captain)
Unit: 7 Pulk Artylerii Przeciwlotniczej (7th Polish Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment)
Awarded on: March 7th, 1945
Details: Nr. 25563.
Presented on March 17th, 1945.
 
     
1939-1945 STAR
Rank: Kapitan (Captain)
Unit: 7 Pulk Artylerii Przeciwlotniczej (7th Polish Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment)
Awarded on: March 15th, 1946
 
     
ITALY STAR
Rank: Kapitan (Captain)
Unit: 7 Pulk Artylerii Przeciwlotniczej (7th Polish Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment)
Awarded on: March 15th, 1946
 
     
DEFENCE MEDAL 1939-1945
Rank: Kapitan (Captain)
Unit: 7 Pulk Artylerii Przeciwlotniczej (7th Polish Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment)
Awarded on: 1946
 
     
WAR MEDAL 1939-1945
Rank: Kapitan (Captain)
Unit: 7 Pulk Artylerii Przeciwlotniczej (7th Polish Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment)
Awarded on: 1946
 
     
MEDAL WOJSKA ZA WOJNE 1939-1945
Rank: Kapitan (Captain)
Unit: 7 Pulk Artylerii Przeciwlotniczej (7th Polish Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment)
Awarded on: November 21st, 1946
Details: Nr. 7293/165.
 
     
KRZYZ ZASLUGI IN SILVER
Rank: Kapitan (Captain)
Unit: 7 Pulk Artylerii Przeciwlotniczej (7th Polish Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment)
Awarded on: September 16th, 1947
Details: "RP" version with Swords.
Nr. 14857.
 
     
CROIX DU COMBATTANT VOLONTAIRE 1939-1945
Unit: 7 Pulk Artylerii Przeciwlotniczej (7th Polish Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment)
Awarded on: 1947
 
     
ORDER ODRODZENIA POLSKI KAWALERSKI
Awarded on: June 15th, 1972
 
     
MEDAL ZA UDZIAL W WOJNIE OBRONNEJ 1939
Awarded on: October 5th, 1983
 
     
KRZYZ CZYNU BOJOWEGO POLSKICH SIL ZBROJNYCH NA ZACHODZIE
Awarded on: June 19th, 1991
Details: With 3 clasps for "MONTE CASSINO", "ANKONA" and "BOLONIA".
 
 
 
  Provide alterations or additional information
Picture source:   - Kaj Metz
Information source(s):   - Original Decorations and Family Records
This website is an initiative of STIWOT (Stichting Informatie Wereldoorlog Twee). All rights reserved © 2002-2012.
Other projects of STIWOT are: Go2War2.nl, WW2museums.com, Tweede-Wereldoorlog.nl, STIWOT Forum and STIWOT Reizen.