Lieutenant Mieczysław Janiszewski/Mechislav Janishevskij, 1st Infantry Division

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An interesting group that includes the war time service record of a man who went all the way from Seltsy on Oka to Berlin and advanced from corporal (or even private?) to lieutenant.

1.A photograph of him – probably after de-mobilisation in “civilized” uniform jacket with 2 ribbons seen: Cross of Merit and Cross of the Brave/Meritous on the field of Glory medal – the second option seems more likely. It is signed “Janiszewski” on the back and was found between the pages o the Equipment booklet. Probably from some early post-war ID.

2.Medical commission note from 28 August 1943 (probably in Seltsy on Oka) in Russian stating that he is fit for non-formation (rear) service because of health problems (I think I see “myocardiopathy”, but can’t make out the rest. Signed by medical service major, bears the bi-lingual stamp of the command of the 1st Infantry Division named after Tadeusz Kościuszko. By the way, it was written on the back of a registry card torn in half (lack of paper was the problem for all the war period)

3.Capture of Berlin medal doc issued on 23rd February 1946 to him as a lieutenant, signed by colonel Seleckiy (col. Józef Sielecki, commander f the division at that time), has the new stamp of the unit that reads “Polish Army * Red Banner and Order of Kutuzov 1st Infantry Division named after Tadeusz Kościuszko”.

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4.Victory over Germany medal document issued on 23rd February 1946 to him as a lieutenant, signed by the same officer.

5.For Warsaw medal temporary doc (1/4 missing) issued on 1 March 1946 to him as a lieutenant, signed by the chief of the 4th Department of the HQ of the 1st Infantry Division.

6.Silver “To the Meritous on the Field of Glory” medal temporary doc issued on 17 July 1946 to him as a lieutenant, by the order of the Commander in Chief of the Polish Army of 22 November 1945 (probably for general excellent service fulfillment, or maybe it’s a late downgrade of 1943 motion to award him with a gold one – see below). Here a probably older stamp was used as it lists only ORB in the unit’s name.

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7.Soviet “Equipment booklet of Air Force commander” – printed around 1941 probably. No, he didn’t serve in the Soviet Air Force, it was issued to him on February 1944, after he was promoted to sr. sgt. (by that time he was probably issued officer’s ID and issued stuff had to be recorded somewhere). Has a Soviet unit stamp and 1st Infantry Division’s command stamp “for internal economic documents”.

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It’s hard to identify what he got, as the uniforms were a bit different but probably the wool uniform jacket and pants were the basic Polish uniform (or parade one if he got one). “Pilotka” cap is a “pilotka” cap (called “furażerka” in Polish)and wool visor cap is probably the Polish field square cap called “rogatywka” or “konfederatka”. Ushanka is what it seems to be, same for rain cape, overcoat and raincape-shelter half. There’s more problem with M35 gimnasterka – the soldiers of the division were first issued slightly modified EM M43 gimnasterka which would fit June 1943, but since he got aother one in may 1944 it’s probably another uniform jacket he got for field use.

The fact that he was issud breeches at the same dates seems to confirm that. He also got 2 sets of underwear, twice summer foot wraps and 3 times summer socks.

He also got 2 towels in 1943 and another one in 1944. Received parade and field high boots, woolen underhelmet, sweater, fur vest and padded pants.

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Also issued winter gloves, fur gloves, winter foot wraps, short fur coat and Valenki.

Set of bedclothes, main belt w/out shoulder strap, pants belt, canteen, messtin, rucksack, field pouch (map case).

Wool socks.

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Last pages and back of the medical opinion.

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8.Service record for 26th May 1944:
Assigned to the 1st infantry regiment of the 1st Polish Infantry Division on June 13th 1943.

Appointed chief of the office of the 1st inf.rgt. by the order of the division’s command nr 32 of 1st July 1943.

Takes part in the battle of Lenino on 12th and 13th of October 1943. Proposed for gold “Mritous on the Field of Glory” medal [probably never awarded or downgraded – rules were very strict for the gold one; not listed as awrded after he battle].

By the order of the command of the 1st inf. Rgt. Nr 176 of 11 November 1943 promoted to “platoon corporal”.

By the order of the command of the 1st Inf. Div. nr 32 of 22 November 1943 appointed assistant to the chief of staff f the 1st if. Rgt. For registratve matters.

By the order of the command of the 1st Corps of the Polish Armed Forces in USSR nr 1 of 4th February 1944 promoted to sr.sgt.

By the order of the commander of the 1st inf. Div. on 26th May 1944 given at disposal of personnel department of the division’s HQ.

Chief of Staff of the 1st inf. Rgt. Jastrzębski, mjr.

9.Service record for 4th October 1945

By the order of the command of the 1st Inf. Div. of 1st June 1944 nr 08 appointed assistant to the chief of Military-Technical Supply department of the Quatermaster service of the 1st If. Div. with the rank of sr. sgt.

By the order of the command of the 1st Inf. Div. of 10th October 1944 nr 022 par. 17 appointed assistant of the chief of organizational-planning department of the Quatermaster service of the 1st If. Div.

By the order of the supreme command of the Polish Army 7th November 1944 nr 59 promoted to warrant officer [jr. lieutenant] of technical service.

By the order of the command of the 1st Inf. Div. of 15th March 1945 nr 06 par. 112 appointed chief of organizational-planning department of the Quatermaster service of the 1st If. Div.

By the order of the supreme command of the Polish Army of 13 June 1945 nr 430 promoted to lieutenant of the quartermaster service.

By the order of the command of the 1st Inf. Div. of 25.09.45 nr 021 taken off the record of the 1st Inf. Division for being called to the personnel department of the Quatermaster service of the Polish Army to be de-mobilised. He was on the frontline from 1st September 1943 to 9th May 1945.

Chief of Q.S. of the 1st Inf. Div. Rutkowski, cpt.