| Place | Europe: Poland |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | REL28721.002 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Award |
| Physical description | Silver, Enamel |
| Maker |
Spink & Son Ltd |
| Place made | United Kingdom: England, Greater London, London |
| Date made | c 1940s |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
Polish Cross of Merit 2nd Class with Swords: Lieutenant Mikolaj Nikon, 3 Dywizia Strelcow Karpackich, Polish Army
Description
Polish Cross of Merit 2nd Class with Swords. Awarded for meritorious military acts and bravery not in direct combat. The decoration is a paty cross in silver, the arms enamelled in red. A disk in the centre of the cross is enamelled in white and contains the silver letters 'RP' ('Rzeczpospolita Polska', the Republic of Poland). Silver rays emerge from behind the central disk between the arms of the cross. The cross is worn on a crimson silk ribbon with two pale blue stripes, and suspension is by a ring representing a wreath from which are hung the crossed swords. Below this is a smaller ring from which the cross itself is hung. The reverse of the award is blank apart from the impressed words 'SPINK LONDON' and 'SILVER'.
History / Summary
Awarded to Polish serviceman, Lieutenant Nicholas Nikon, who served in the Polish Army and was interned by the Soviet Peoples Commissariat of Internal Affairs (NKVD) in 1939. After his release from internment in 1941, he served in the Middle East with 3 Karpathian Rifle Division (3 Dywizia Strelcow Karpackich or 3 DSK) and fought in Italy at the battle for Monte Cassino in May 1944.