Władysław Dudzik was born on 6 February 1904 in Kawęczyn, Konecki County, Poland. After completing the 7th grade in Kawęczyn, he studied trade with a blacksmith in Miedzierza, and then worked at this trade until 1925.

 

In October 1925, he was called to active service in the Polish Army. He was assigned to the 10th Infantry Regiment in Puowicz. He was transferred to the reserve in October 1927. He then went to work as a security guard at the Ministry of Military Affairs in Warsaw, where he primarily did locksmith work.

 

In 1926 he married a resident of Kawęczyn, and in 1929 they had a son Zdzisław - a future pilot, national team coach in aircraft acrobatics and rally-navigation, and the winner of many international and national competitions in this category.

 

In 1930, Władysław Dudzik participated in reserve exercises in the 82nd Infantry Regiment. He was mobilized in September 1939 and took part in the battles for Warsaw. Under pressure from German troops, his unit retreated to the southern border of Poland.

 

On 17 September 1939, Soviet troops invaded Poland. The Chief of the Armed Forces issued an order to the troops to cross the border to Romania, Hungary, Lithuania, or Estonia. On the night of 17 September, Władysław Dudzik, together with several thousand Polish soldiers, crossed the border to Romania.

 

The Romanian government maintained neutrality in the Polish-German conflict and, according to the Haska Convention, the soldiers are interned in several camps. Władysław Dudzik was in the Calimanesti Camp, but the state authorities unofficially allowed Polish recruitment offices to operate. These offices organized their escape to France and Asia Minor. On 18 April 1940, Władysław Dudzik sailed to Istanbul, and then via Athens arrived in Beirut on 23 April.

 

After 8 months of fighting German aggression in Poland, Władysław Dudzik eached Lebanon and Syria, which were French protectorates. According to the agreement between Władysław Sikorski and the French government, an order was issued on 12 April to form an Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade in the Middle East.

 

On 23 April 1940, Władysław Dudzik applied as a volunteer to the military commission in Beirut where he qualified as a sapper. After the capitulation of France on 22 June 1940, the Levent Army, which included the SBSK, supported the government created by Marshal Petain. In this situation, on 30 June 1940, the Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade went to Palestine, where it was solemnly received by the British.

 

The brigade included about 3,500 soldiers. They were trained until October 1940 and were equipped with new English armour. The 3rd Sapper Battalion, in which Władyslaw Dudzik served, were building bridges in Palestine, and mining areas in Libya. Władyslaw protected communication lines and guarded prison camps.

 

In Egypt, the battalion expanded its defensive positions. They were not directed to the frontline, because Poland was not formally at war with Italy.

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On 22 April 1941, British troops attacked Tobruk, an important supply base of the Italian army in Libya. Hitler decided to send an Expeditionary Corps under the command of Erwin Rommel to North Africa. The regular siege of Tobruk by the German-Italian troops began on 10 April 1941. The Tobruk garrison had about 35 thousand soldiers.

 

As a result of the large casualties suffered by the Australians (about 3,000 soldiers), the British command decided to exclude troops from Australia from Tobruk's defense. They were replaced by more than 5,000 soldiers of the Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade, which sailed from Alexandria to Tobruk under heavy enemy fire on 19 August 1941.

 

The Brigade was deployed on the hardest section of the front, 100-150 meters from the German positions. They were attacked by enemy artillery and planes. The Poles showed incredible prowess; they took prisoners, destroyed observation towers, and seized enemy warehouses. As Władysław Dudzik wrote in his memoir, it was a great joy to win 3 barrels of vodka, but the joy lasted only 2 days, because the English command destroyed the alcohol.

 

The defense of Tobruk ended on 27 November 1941. The British army attacked German positions from the outside and soldiers of the Tobruk garrison from the inside. The circuit was interrupted, and the Africa Korps retreated into the desert. In the Battle of Tobruk, 109 Polish soldiers were killed and 17 were missing.

 

Władysław Dudzik left Tobruk with the Brigade on 12 December 1941 for El-Ghazel, where on 15 December there was a victorious battle over the German-Italian armies. After this victory, the soldiers of the Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade went to Egypt for a well-deserved rest.

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The further activities of the Independent Carpathian Riflemen's Brigade in the Middle East consisted of constant relocation. Władysław Dudzik's notes mention the following:

"Departure from Gazelle, arrival in Martuba on 9 January 1942, departure from Martuba, Libya on 16 March 1942, and arrival in Amaria, Egypt on 22 March 1942. Leaving Alexandria on 30 April 1942 and arriving in Palestine (Costina). Departure from Costina on 2 May 1942 to Haifa. Departure from Haifa to Iraq on 23 September 1942. Leaving Iraq on the 4 August 1943 and arriving in Palestine on the 11 August 1943. Departure from Palestine on 22 November 1943 to Egypt.”

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On May 3, 1942, the Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade was re-organized and adopted the name of the 3rd Carpathian Rifle Division (3DSK). On 21 June 1943, the Polish 2nd Corps was created in Iraq, which included the 3rd DSK and the Polish Army in the East evacuated from the Soviet Union

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On 14 December 1943, the Polish 2nd Corps sailed from Port Said on the Dutch ship "Indrapoea" to Tarento in southern Italy, to begin its participation in the Italian campaign. Through Canossa and Paskolanciano, on 25 April 1944, they reached Monte Cassino.

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The 3rd Carpathian Rifle Division was incorporated into the battle for Monte Cassino on 12 May 1944, attacking hills 593 and 569. The monastery and the hills were conquered on 18 May 1944. It was one of the heaviest battles of World War II, the fighting was extremely bloody, 923 were killed and 2,931 Polish soldiers were wounded. The road to Rome was opened.

 

Corporal Władysław Dudzik did not die and was not injured. But his namesake died - private Władysław Dudzik, born on 25 March 1915 in Krasnymstaw, is buried in the Monte Cassino Cemetery.

 

 

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Copyright: Marek Kozerawski​​

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(Translated from the original Polish text on Facebook).

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