Emil Czech (born August 8, 1908 in Bobowa, died March 26, 1978 in Kłodzko) - soldier of the Polish Army in the Master Copral rank, trumpeter. In 1944, he fought at Monte Cassino, where the St. Mary's Bungle Call was played on May 18 of the same year.
Biography
editYouth and World War 2
editHe was born on August 8, 1908 in the village of Bobowa in the Gorlice district. In 1927, he joined the 1st Railway Sapper Regiment in Kraków. After the USSR army entered Poland, on September 20, 1939, it crossed the Polish-Hungarian border. From Hungary he got to Palestine and there he joined the Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade. Fought at Tobruk and Gazala. Later he went to Italy, to the 2nd Polish Corps under the command of Gen Władysław Anders.
After the war
editAfter the war, the Czech settled in England. He returned to Poland in 1947. In 1952, he was employed by the Polish State Railways. He also belonged to the railway orchestra and sang in the church choir. He died on March 26, 1978. He was buried in the cemetery in Kłodzko.
St. Mary's Bugle Call at Monte Cassino
editOn May 18, 1944, the Polish 2nd Corps was the first to occupy the monastery on Monte Cassino. Mcpl Emil Czech received from Gen Bronisław Duch the task of playing St. Mary's Bungle Call in the ruins of the monastery. The melody was played at noon on the same day. He is a symbol of the Allied victory in the Battle of Monte Cassino.
External links
edit- Emil Czech – legendarny hejnalista spod Monte Cassino, Michał Kowalski, Institute of National Remembrance [accessed 2024-11-28]
- 18 maja 1944 r. żołnierze 2. Korpusu Polskiego zajęli klasztor na Monte Cassino, zwycięsko kończąc jedną z największych bitew II wojny światowej, Museum of the Second World War in Gdańsk [accessed 2024-11-28]