

Jan BIELATOWICZ
Polish 2nd Corps
Jan Bielatowicz was born on 16 November 1913 in Nisko, Poland. He lived with his parents in Rzeszów and Pilsen, and from 1922 in Tarnów, where his father was a doctor. He attended the State Gymnasium in Tarnów, graduating in 1931. He then studied at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, obtaining an MA in Polish studies in 1937, after which he worked as a journalist.
He served in the 5th Regiment of the Podhale Riflemen during the September 1939 campaign, then crossed the Hungarian border and was interned in the Kisbodak camp. From January to April 1940, he was actively organized the transfers of Polish soldiers to France. He later escaped through Yugoslavia and Turkey and made his way to Palestine. In Haifa, he joined the Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade and fought in the battle of Tobruk.
After the merger of the Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade with the Polish 2ns, he served as a Lieutenant in the 3rd Carpathian Rifle Division of the 2nd Corps. He fought in the Italian campaign, including the Battle of Monte Cassino and Predappio. He was awarded the Cross of Valour for his service in battle.
In 1944-1946 he published 4 volumes of an anthology of poetry, the authors of which were mostly soldiers of the 2nd Corps. He stayed in the 2nd Corps in Italy until 1946, then left for the UK with the army, residing at camps Freckenham and Chippenham.
After demobilization, he worked at the Veritas Catholic Publishing Centre. Initially, he worked as a packer, later the literary director of the weekly “Życie” and, from 1949 to 1951, as the editor of “Gazeta Niedzielna”, from 1951-1955, the editor-in-chief of “Życia”, and from 1954-1956 the monthly “Droga”.
As a Radio Free Europe collaborator, he realized a number of broadcasts dedicated to the Polish 2nd Corps, including interviews with the commanders of the various units. In 1963, he was elected to the Council of National Unity. He was the author and editor of literary and historical publications, including "Our Borders in Monte Cassino - Anthology of Struggle" (1945), "Carpathian Brigade" (1947), Monte Cassino: The 10th Anniversary of the Battle (1954).
Jan Bielatowicz passed away in London on 27 November 1965 at the age of 52 years.
Translated from the Polish text at: https://2korpus.org/bielatowicz-jan/