Kamil Czarnecki was born 5 August 1912 in Biskupicze, Wołyń. He came from a family with a long history of military tradition. His father, Janusz Czarnecki was a cavalry major of the Polish Army, commander of the 4th squadron of the 15th Uhlan regiment, decorated with the Order of Virtuti Militari for the war with the Bolsheviks. He had two brothers: Michał who died very young, and Marian Norbert Czarnecki, who was also an officer in the Polish Army, and was also decorated with the Order of Virtuti Militari.

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Kamil started his education at the private school of the Jesuit Fathers in Chyrów and then continued in the Cadet Corps in Rawicz. After the premature death of their parents, a friend of their father’s Col. Władysław Anders supported the education of the Czarnecki brothers in the Polish Army. It was on his advice that the young Kamil entered the Officers’ Cavalry School in Grudziądz in 1931, and in 1933 he became an officer, assigned to the 1st Krechowiecki Lancers Regiment in Augustów.

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From 1936, he studied at the technical department of the Warsaw University of Technology, graduating in 1939, just before the outbreak of World War II.

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On the second day of the war, he was given a special mission to evacuate explosives from the ammunition plant No. 2 in Rembertów, first to Brest, and finally to Romania. He was then assigned to transport secret documents from the Polish Embassy in Bucharest to General Sikorski, in Paris.

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Now in France, he joined the 10th Regiment of Mounted Rifles and took part in the French campaign. After the capitulation of France, he managed to reach London, and started work in the General Staff of the Polish Army and in the editorial office of “Dziennik Polski.” Soon he was assigned to the War College of Scotland, and then to a senior officer course at Fort Leavenworth, the US War College.

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After graduating with honors, he became an operational officer in General Stanisław Miczek’s 1st Polish Armored Division. He participated in the European Campaign, including the attack on the Falaise and in the capture of Breda.

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After the war he was deprived of Polish citizenship by the new Russian-led regime. He became a British citizen.

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He earned another professional diploma in the USA, completing his studies in chemistry and ceramic engineering at Ohio State University in Columbus.

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Kamil was deeply involved in the social activity of Polish emigration in Great Britain. He was the founder and president of the “Koło Polskich Oficerów Dyplomowanych w Wielkiej Brytanii” (Circle of Polish Officers in Great Britain) and for many years vice-president of the “Związek Krechowiaków w Londynie” (Krechowiaków Association in London).

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He was twice Chairman of Ognisko Polskie - the Polish Hearth in London (1974-1976 and 1987-1988). In 1976, thanks to his efforts, Ognisko Polskie - the Polish Hearth in London bought the freehold for the property that it had called its home since 1939 at 55 Princes Gate Exhibition Road in the heart of South Kensington.

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He died on 2 June 2001 in London and was buried in Gunnersbury Cemetery in London. He left a wife, Irena Delmar-Czarnecka, and a daughter, Oleńka.

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As well as numerous other medals and honours from many Polish organisations, he was awarded

·       the Silver Cross of the Order of Virtuti Militari,

·       the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta,

·       the Cross of Valor twice,

·       the Gold Krzyż Zasługi z Mieczami,

·       Belgian, British and French combat medals,

·       the Knight’s Cross and the Officer’s Cross of Polonia Restituta

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Copyright:  Irena Delmar-Czarnecka

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