Poland Bronze Medal For Merit On The Field of Glory & 2 x Victory and Freedom Medals 1945

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The Medal For Merit On The Field of Glory was instituted at the beginning of November 1943, by order of General Z. Berling, the Commander in Chief of 1 Polish Corps in Russia.

It was included in the Polish awards system by decree of 23/12/44.

Intended as an extension to the Vrtuti MIltari, it was awarded in 3 x grades, Gold, Silver & Bronze, to soldiers of The People?s Army, irrespective of rank, for acts of military virtue or valour before an enemy.

Each grade could be awarded up to 4 times, the further awards being ndicated by bars worn on the ribbon, however in practice each award would be seperately.

The requirements for the award of the Gold Medal were very high, comparable to those for the Soviet Gold Star of The Hero of The Soviet Union.

It appears that the Gold Medal was discontinued after 1945, the Silver & Bronze Medals in 1992.

75,699 Bronze Medals For Merit On The Field of Glory were awarded.

Edited April 3, 2009 by leigh kitchen

[leigh kitchen]

The medal is 40 mm in diameter, the obverse bears a depicton of The Virtuti Miltari (the design also including the crowned eagle & cross flags behind it until December 1944).

The ribbon is 42 mm wide, black with broad light blue side stripes ? reverse colours to the ribbon of The Virtuti Militari.

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The reverse bears a tablet with:

?ZASLZONYM/NA/POLU/CHWALY/1944?

Until December 1944 this read ?CHWALY 12 ? 13X1943/LENINO?

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This is written in pencil, inside the booklet ? I don?t know what it says:

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For some reason KAROLCZYK was awarded 2 x Victory and Freedom Medals 1945, one in 1972 (the same year that he was awarded the Bronze Medal For Merit On The Field of Glory), the other in 1975.

Presumably an administrative error.

Edited April 2, 2009 by leigh kitchen

[leigh kitchen]

The Victory and Freedom Medal was instituted on 26/10/45 by decree of The Krajowa Rada Narodowa (National Council).

It was conferred on civilians and military who participated in any way in the fight against Germany within or outside the territory of Poland.

The design of the obverse of the medal was altered in 1946 to the one shown, with the wording ?KRAJOWA RADA NARODOWA? (National Council).

Prior to that, instead of the full wording around the eagle there had been the abbreviation ?KRN?

Of bronze, the disc measures 33 mm in diamteter.

The reverse was common to both types, & bears the inscription: ?RP / ZWYCIESTWO / I WOLNOSC / 9. V. 1945? (Victory and Freedom), all words being underlined.

The ribbon is 33mm wide & was originally half white, half red, but was altered to that shown of five alternate stripes, three red and two white, n 1946.

Over 700,000 Victory and Freedom Medals were awarded.

Edited April 2, 2009 by leigh kitchen

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Reverses:

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Booklet for The Victory and Freedom Medal awarded in 1972:

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This is written inside the "1972" booklet:

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Booklet for The Victory and Freedom Medal awarded in 1975:

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This is written inside the ?1975? booklet:

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