Emil Czech was born in Bobowa near Nowy Sącz, Poland, on 8 August 1908. Emil fought in the defence of Poland in September 1939, then served in the Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade. He took part in the fighting in Africa and in May 1944 he was involved in the battles to break the German Gustav Line.

​

After the long bloody battle for Monte Cassino, on the morning of 18 May 1944, the 3rd Carpathian Rifle Division captured Hill 593 with the ruins of a Benedictine monastery. Soon a patrol of the 12th Podolski Lancers Regiment, commanded by Second Lieutenant Kazimierz Gurbiel, raised the Polish flag at the site.

​

Exactly at noon, a familiar melody sounded from the hill. Platoon Leader Emil Czech, a soldier of the 3rd Battalion of Sappers, played the sound of the St. Mary's bugle call. His extraordinary mission was not only demanding due to great emotion but also because of the ongoing German activities in the area.

​

“Colonel Rakowski turned to me with the words: “Sergeant, you have a combat task to perform. You will drive up to the monastery and play the St. Mary’s bugle call under the Polish flag. I had a trumpet, a cornet, and together with the driver we set off in the car. Halfway there, the vehicle stopped. The driver turned me and asked: “Mr Platoon Sergeant, do you want to live? Because I do. I’m not going anywhere.” Emil wrote in his memoirs, published in the 1970s.

​

“I got out of the car. A doctor I knew, Lieutenant Stanislaw Szczeponek, was also driving in that direction, drove me to the monastery so that I met met my destiny 15 minutes before the ppointed time. I walked up to the flag in the wind. I didn’t know if I could play the bugle properly. I took the bugle to my lips and began to play. Then I remembered that I had to stop at a certain point and pretend as if a Tartar arrow had pierced my throat. There were some reporters, American and Polish, from somewhere. After playing the bugle call, I reported to our commander. - He was very touched. As I was leaving, he stopped me for a moment and said: 'Remember, platoon sergeant Czech, your bugle call will go down in history’.

​

Sergeant Czech later took part in the famous battles of Ankona and Bologna. He was wounded during the bombing of Loreto.

​

After the World War 2 ended, Czech decided went back to Poland in 1947 – now dominated by the communist regime - and settled in Kłodzko. He suffered persecution in everyday life as an ex-soldier of the Polish 2nd Corps that fought alongside the British and American troops. He was finally able to work in the Polish railways in the 1950s. He was an active member of several local music groups.

​

Although the persecution was not as during the Stalinist period he could not be included in the Monte Cassino 30th Battle Anniversary in 1974. The authorities would not allow a legend to be visible once again.

​

Four later years, on 26 March 1978, Emil Czech died. His wife died 9 days before him. He received many state and miliary decorations, including the Order of Polonia. In 2022. a statue of Emil Czech was unveiled in Kłodzko. The Institute of National Remembrance supported the initiative by funding the main part of the monument and the making of a model and casting in bronze of a sculpture inspired by a photograph of a Czech performing the “St Mary's Trumpet Call”.

 

​

 

Source: Institute of National Remembrance Facebook post

​

​