Born: November 15th, 1896, Borszczów (Tarnopol voivodship, Poland)
Died: October 9th, 1980, London (UK)
Buried : Polish War Cemetery at Monte Cassino
Education: Higher Military School (Wyższa Szkoła Wojenna)
Occupation: professional soldier
Military Rank: Major General
Military Medals: Polish : Order Virtuti Militari (III, IV and V class), Cross of Valour (eight times), Cross of Independence, Order Polonia Restituta (II and IV class), Gold Cross of Merit, Gold Cross of Merit with Swords. He was also honored with honorable war orders of the Allied countries.
Fates before joining Anders Army: Bronisław Duch was born in 1896 in Borszczów in Podolia. He graduated from high school in Sambor, where he was active in Polish scouting, as well as in the organization “Zarzewie” and the field “Sokół” teams. He obtained his high school diploma in 1914. He began his military service in the Eastern Legion, from where he joined the 3rd Legions Infantry Regiment, which was part of the 2nd Legion Brigade, then he ended up in Murmansk. There, from December 1918, he initially commanded the 1st company of the Polish Independent Murmanski Unit as part of the British intervention forces fighting with the Red Army units. In August 1919, in connection with the withdrawal of British troops, he went along with the entire Polish Independent Murmansk Unit to Great Britain, where in November 1919 he became its commander. He returned to Poland via Great Britain in 1919. Participant of the Polish-Bolshevik war of 1920, after its end he remained in the army. In 1926, he was appointed battalion commander of the Infantry School for NCOs in Bydgoszcz, at the same time he received subsequent officer ranks: major (from December 1, 1924), lieutenant colonel (December 24, 1929), and certified colonel (1938).
After the outbreak of World War II, Col. Bronisław Duch was a division infantry commander in the 39th Reserve Infantry Division. On September 26, 1939, at night, Polish troops began destroying weapons and documents before capitulation. Colonel Duch avoided captivity and escaped to France, where he put himself at the disposal of General Władysław Sikorski who formed the Polish army, who in mid-January 1940 appointed him commander of the 1st Grenadier Division, which was formed in the camp in Cóetquidan. On May 5, 1940, Colonel Duch received general honors (the rank of brigadier general). After the defeat of France, he managed to evacuate to Great Britain: he found himself in London in October 1940. For the heroic attitude of the 1st Grenadier Division and his own combat services, he was awarded the French Croix de Guerre.
In London, General Duch served as a general for the orders of the Commander-in-Chief. General Sikorski trusted him, appreciated his military skills, loyalty, honor and devotion to his homeland. On the order of the Commander-in-Chief, General Duch, in March 1941 flew on a mission to Canada, where he was to form the Polish Armed Forces. After returning to London, at his own request, he took command of the 1st Rifle Brigade of the Polish 1 Corps in Scotland, which he commanded until July 1943.
Military history: At the end of July, he assumed in Palestine the position of the commander of the 3rd Carpathian Rifle Division (3 DSK) in the Polish 2nd Corps of General Władysław Anders, with which he finally found himself on the Apennine Peninsula. The Carpathians were baptized at Monte Cassino. After two days of fighting, the soldiers of General Duch broke into the ruins of the monastery and planted the white and red banner.
Gen. Duch commanded 3 DSK in subsequent battles in Italy. The division took part in the operations on the Chienti River, in the liberation of Ancona, on the Metauro River, in breaking the strongly fortified Goth Line, in the Emilian Apennines. The Carpathians were instrumental in the liberation of Monte Fortino, Monte Piano, the crossing of the Senio River and the liberation of Bologna in April 1945. General Duch was one of the most experienced line commanders of the Polish Armed Forces at the end of the war. He was one of the generals of combat glory, universally respected and valued by soldiers. On June 1, 1945, Bronisław Duch was appointed Major General. He continued to command the Division when it was part of the Polish Resettlement Corps. When the Polish Army Forces in the West was disbanded, he went to great lengths to prepare his soldiers for civilian life. The division organized various specialist courses, preparing them to work outside the military.
Post-War: After demobilization in 1947, he moved to London, where he lived by renting a previously purchased house. He was instrumental in establishing the Union of Carpathians and in commemorating the combat deed of the 3 DSK. The Carpathians were a very strong veteran group, carefully cultivating their traditions, combat signs and symbols. General Duch was also morally associated with the environment of the 1st Grenadier Division, with which he started the combat trail in the West. He took part in the ceremonies commemorating the combat operations of both divisions. He was the author of several studies on the fights in 1940 in France. In February 1980, he was appointed by President Raczyński to the position of the Inspector General of the Armed Forces. General Bronisław Duch died in London on October 9, 1980. The urn with his ashes was placed in the Polish war cemetery at Monte Cassino, he was buried among the Carpathians.
Author: Krzysztof Hoffmann, Warsaw, Poland
