Born: March 23, 1897, Łańcut, Poland
Died: August 21, 1979, London, Great Britain
Buried: Cracow, Poland – Rakowicki Cemetery – section 5 Eastern
Family: father Romuald, mother Wanda (nee Firlej Bielańska); wife Felicja, son Adam
medals: Polish – Golden Cross of the Virtuti Militari, Silver Cross of the Virtuti Militari, four times Cross of Valor, Army Medal, Commemorative Medal for the War of 1918-1921, Medal of the Tenth Anniversary of Regained Independence; British – Distinguished Service Order; French – Croix de Guerre; Belgian – Leopold Order
Prewar fates:
Bronisław Noȅl attended high school in the years 1907-1911 in Drohobych, and in the years 1911-1914 in Tarnopol. He passed his secondary school leaving examination in Vienna in 1915. On August 16, 1915, he was conscripted into the Austrian army and assigned to the 11th Horse Artillery Division. After completing the reserve officers’ course, he spent 1916-1918 on the Russian, Italian and Serbian fronts. In 1917, he was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant of the reserve. In November 1918 he joined the Polish Army. Participant of the Polish-Soviet War in the ranks of the 4th Horse Artillery Division. For his bravery in the battle against the Soviets near Korosten in October 1920, he was awarded the Virtuti Militari order, and for heroism in subsequent battles he was awarded the Cross of Valor four times. Professional artillery officer in the Second Polish Republic. In the years 19129-1930 he was a student of the Military Academy in Warsaw and Paris. On January 1, 1932, he was promoted to the rank of major and transferred to the Third Department of the Main Staff. In the years 1933-1936, Chief of Staff of the 18th Infantry Division in Łomża, and from May 1936, commander of the 30th Light Artillery Regiment in Brest. Then military attache at the Polish Legation in Prague. In July 1939, he was appointed Chief of the 2nd Division of the “Karpaty” Army Staff.
Fates during the war:
Participant of the September Campaign of 1939 as part of the “Karpaty” Army Staff. After the fighting ended he got via Romania to France, where he was assigned to the Third Department of the Polish Commander-in-Chief’s Staff. In August 1940, he took up the position of military attache of the Republic of Poland in Bern (Switzerland). From May 1942, he served in the ranks of the 1st Armored Division in Scotland, holding the following positions: Chief of Staff (1942-1943), commander of the Support Group (1943). From October 1943 to February 1, 1946, he commanded the artillery of the 1st Polish Armored Division and went through the entire combat route with it (with the rank of colonel). From February 1946 to June 10, 1947, he was deputy commander of the 1st Armored Division.
Post-war fate:
He remained in exile in Great Britain after World War II. In 1964, he was appointed brigadier general by the Commander-in-Chief, General W. Anders. He died in London in 1979, and his ashes were buried in Krakow in the family grave at the Rakowicki Cemetery.
author: Aneta Hoffmann