Wladyslaw Anders

As a young officer Anders served the Tsar Nicholas II in the 1st Krechowiecki Lancer's Regiment during World War I, later joining the Polish Army and again serving as an officer in a cavalry regiment.

Anders was in command of an cavalry brigade at the time of the outbreak of World War II. The Polish Cavalry was no match for German Blitzkrieg tactics, tanks and motorised infantry, and the Polish forces were forced to retreat to the east. Anders was taken prisoner by Soviet forces and was jailed in Lubyanka Prison in Moscow.

After the attack on the Soviet Union by Germany, Anders was released by the Soviets with the aim of forming a Polish Army to fight alongside the Soviets. Continued friction with the Soviets led to the eventual exodus of Anders' men, along with a sizeable contingent of Polish civilians, to Persia (Iran); where Anders formed and led the 2nd Polish Corps while agitating for release of Polish Nationals still in the Soviet Union. It was during this time that large numbers of non-combat capable Polish men and women were sent to Britain. Many stayed, and made their way in the world after the end of the war.

Commander of the 2nd Polish Corps 1943-1946, after the war stayed in exile in Britain and was prominent in the Polish Government in Exile in London. Buried in Italy at the Polish Military Cemetery at Monte Cassino.

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Image:Wladyslaw Anders1.jpg|