Beirut WW2 War Cemetery, Lebanon - 6 men of the Polish Army - A Tribute

Discussion in 'War Grave Photographs' started by bucklt, Aug 14, 2022.

  1. bucklt

    bucklt Bucklt

    This post is dedicated to those 6 men who served with the Polish Army and who found their' final resting place in the CWGC WW2 War Cemetery, Beirut, Lebanon. note: 7 images attached.

    ALEKSANDER ZALESKY
    Service Number: 27/1/19/2/III
    05 - 04 -1945

    B ZARCZYNSKA
    08 - 01-1945

    E KOBIELA
    Service Number: 156
    23 - 04 - 1940

    GRZEGORZ KOCHAN
    Service Number: 431/III
    11 - 10 - 1944

    B W LICHOTA
    Service Number: 85/111
    27 - 11 - 1943

    K L KOPERKIEWICZ
    02 - 07 - 1944


    LEST WE FORGET



    A. Buckley :poppy: asiawargraves.com
    01. ZALESKY A., WW2 War Cemetery, Beirut, Lebanon © asiawargraves.com  .JPG 02. ZARCZYNSKA B., WW2 War Cemetery, Beirut, Lebanon © asiawargraves.com  .JPG 03. KOBIELA E., WW2 War Cemetery, Beirut, Lebanon © asiawargraves.com  .JPG 04. KOCHAN G., WW2 War Cemetery, Beirut, Lebanon © asiawargraves.com .JPG 05. LICHOTA B.W., WW2 War Cemetery, Beirut, Lebanon © asiawargraves.com  .JPG 06. KOPERKIEWICZ K.L., WW2 War Cemetery, Beirut, Lebanon © asiawargraves.com  .JPG 07. beirut, lebanon ww1 and ww2 cwgc.jpg
     
    Last edited: Aug 14, 2022
    Recce_Mitch, davidbfpo and 4jonboy like this.
  2. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    Buckit,

    A small mystery whilst out of the sun to tackle.

    Presumably some, if not all come from the Polish Carpathian Brigade, which was in French Syria and who were ordered to defect to the British in Palestine in June 1940. KOBIELA died when they were in Syria. See: Polish Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade - Wikipedia

    I see the headstones just have 'Polish Forces'. KOBIELA was in the Army, as a Corporal; ZARCZYNSKA Army; KOCHAN Cadet- Sergeant Army; LICHOTA Army Cadet; KOPERKIEWICZ Army Captain and CWGC list spelt ZALESKI Army Corporal.

    There was a wartime Polish population in the Lebanon and the cemetery has a mention:
    From: Polish people in Lebanon - Wikipedia

    The CWGC list sixteen Poles are buried in the Lebanon; the others all bar one are in Tripoli Naval Cemetery and one in Sidon Military Cemetery.

    I would suggest with the exception of KOBIELA, the others died from their injuries elsewhere (Italy where the Poles fought) either on their evacuation voyage, hence burials at Tripoli, or after arrival in Beirut / Sidon. Perhaps there was a Polish Hospital in Beirut? Yes, there was in a Beirut suburb and the Poles had their own hospital in Bari, Italy.

    I know PAIFORCE had British formations in Syria at the war's end; Lebanon gained independence from France on 22/11/1943. That I shall leave alone.
     

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