Dmyterko, Stanislaw.

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Dmyterko, Stanislaw, born 08-05-1919 in the district, Tarnopol, in the former Western Ukrainian People’s Republic (from 1920 to 1939 in Polish possession, now Ukraine). After the invasion of the Germans in September 1939 Stanislaw Dmytterko, escaped with many other to Germany and there the 1st Polish Armored Division led by General Stanislaw Maczek was restored.

There were 16,500 who fought with him against the German occupation army, dreaming of returning to their homeland in peace after being away from home for 5 long years. But the Yalta conference decided otherwise, the Russians were in control in their beloved homeland. Those who returned to their homeland in 1947 after the disbandment of the 1st Polish Armored Division  were seen as traitors, got bad jobs or even ended up in prison. Others were admitted to the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Great Britain and many roamed all over the world, where a family and a new life were built.

The 1st Polish Armored Division reached the Netherlands during Operation Market Garden and liberated Breda After the liberation of Breda on Sunday, 29-10-1944, the advance to the north in the Westhoek of North Brabant continues the next day, across the entire width of the front. The German High Command has meanwhile decided to take back its troops behind the waterline (Dintel – Mark – Mark Canal – Wilhelmina Canal). The German General Gerd von Rundstedt realised the danger of this offensive and intended to divert British manpower.

The plan of attack provides for the 1st Polish Armored Division to break through the German front on the Mark Canal in its sector, between Oosterhout and the new Rijksweg (now the A 16), in three places andto form bridgeheads there. The division will be additionally supported by British troops (bridge construction and flamethrowers) and the Royal Dutch Brigade “Princess Irene” (artillery). The Royal Netherlands Princess Irene Brigade landed in Arromanches on 08-08-1944. Attached to the 6th British Airborne Division, under command of Major-General Richard Nelson “Windy” Gale. the Brigade took part in Operation Paddle for the liberation of the Pays d’Auge area starting on 17 August. The Princess Irene Brigade was thus the first Allied unit to liberate Pont-Audemer on 26-08-1944. Gale survived the war and died at his home in Kingston upon Thames on 29-07-1982, just four days after his 86th birthday.

Furthermore, the Poles are waiting for air support from Belgian bases through the 2ndIt is mainly the 1st Polish Armored Division that is responsible for the lion’s share of the clearing of the last German bridgehead in West Brabant. On 02-11-1944, Oosterhout was liberated to approximately the Mark Canal by the 1st Polish Armored Division. However, the danger had not yet passed. The Germans were on the other side of the Mark Canal. They regularly shelled the liberated part of Oosterhout, resulting in fatalities and material damage. 

Death and burial ground of Dmyterko, Stanislaw.

In the early morning of Friday 03-11-1944, the Poles tried to cross the Mark Canal south of Vraggelen (nowadays written as Vrachelen) near the blown drawbridge, over the Marksluis in the Oosterhout-Made road (now the N 629). Three platoons crossed the channel with eight canvas boats. However, this was no surprise to the Germans. It was a tough battle. After bloody hand-to-hand combat, the Poles lost out. Two of the three platoons of the 3rd Company of the 9th Fighter Battalion were eliminated. In the end, the last 25 remaining Poles managed to swim back to the safe bank in their underpants. However, the Poles did not give up. As the day wore on, the Poles received more artillery and air support. In this way they finally managed to form a beachhead, at the expense of many victimson the other side of the canal. In this operation around Vraggelen, 20 Polish soldiers were killed, including Stanislaw Dmyterko, 3 English sappers and 1 Norwegian pilot. Breda was liberated At the Marksluis, English engineers, together with Polish soldiers, had meanwhile started to build a Bailey bridge next to the blown bridge over the Mark. The construction was also observed by the Germans, who attacked the work. At 3 p.m. the bridge was ready. At the request of General Maczek, the bridge was named “Success bridge”. The road to West Brabant in the direction of the Moerdijk bridges was open at the expense of many human lives. A Polish Sherman tank drives up the “Success bridge” in early November 1944. The tank returns from the front. On the right the blown up drawbridge on the Marksluis near Vraggelen.

Ginneken is a southern suburb of Breda and was located on the road of the Polish liberators of Breda. 28-10-1944, a day before the liberation of Breda, there was heavy fighting between the Polish 9th Infantry Battalion and the German defenders. A number of Polish soldiers of this battalion were killed in action, they were buried in the Roman Catholic Cemetery in Vogelenzanglaan. Until the end of the war, almost all fallen soldiers of the Polish 9th Infantry Division battalion were buried here. After the war, they wanted to transfer the graves to the Polish Field of Honor in Breda. However, the people of Ginneken have refused this and every year on October 29,   Ginneken’s liberation day, the fallen are commemorated. The plot at the Roman Catholic Cemetery offers a final resting place to 80 fallen Poles.

Message(s), tips or interesting graves for the webmaster:    robhopmans@outlook.com

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