Marian Plichta

1st Polish Armoured Division

Marian was born on 21 August 1918 in Siedlce, Poland.

Immediately after graduating in 1939 from the Cavalry Cadet School in Grudziądz, he took part in the September Campaign, fighting in the south and south-east of the Republic of Poland as a platoon commander in the Anti-Tank Battalion of the 10th Cavalry Brigade.

In 1940, he fought in the defense of France, including at Montbard, commanding rifles platoon in the 1st Squadron of the 10th Mounted Rifles Regiment of the 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade.

In 1944, as commander of a reconnaissance platoon of the 10th Mounted Rifles Regiment of the 1st Polish Armoured Division, he took part in the liberation of towns in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Seriously wounded in the Moerdijk area, he ended his combat service in November 1944 and remained in the United Kingdom. For his service in Poland, he was awarded the Cross of Valour; for his fighting in Normandy, he received the Sliver Cross of Virtuti Militari.

In 1947, he returned to Poland and lived in Sulejówek-Miłosna with his wife (Teresa nee Bednarczyk), mother-in-law, and his daughter.

Marian passed away in Warsaw on 18 January 1974 at the age of 55 years. He was buried at the Municipal Cemetery in Sulejówek-Miłosna, Poland.