PINIECKI Bolesław Wiktor

16 September 1892

1940

Lieutenant colonel, born on 16 September 1892 in Karczewo, to the family of a teacher - Bronisław, and Bronisława de Elimer. He attended gymnasium in Poznań and then in Wschowa, where he received his secondary education certificate in 1914. From the year 1906, he was a member of the Tomasz Zan Society. In the years 1912-1914, he was president of the organisation in Wschowa. He created a secret Rifle Team in which he served as the deputy commandant, conducting military exercises in the Wschowa forests. On 3 August 1914, he was drafted into the Germany army with assignment to the reserve division of the 2nd Heavy Artillery Regiment in Poznań. From 20 October, he fought on the Western Front as a platoon commander. On 24 August 1917, he was promoted to second lieutenant. Until 23 January 1918, he served as an observation officer for the 2nd Division. From 24 January of the same year, he was transferred to the Reserve Division. From 16 October he was in the Reserve Division of the 23rd Heavy Artillery Regiment in Poznań. In November 1918, he established contact with Mieczysław Paluch, joined the Polish Military Organisation of the Prussian partition and by his command, got involved in the organisation of the units of the Guard and Security Service, managing the secret information office in the Wilda district. On 27 December, he took part in the seizure of weapons warehouses at Wielkie Garbary. During the last days of December 1918, he started to organise an insurgent battalion. He led it to the seizure of the Air Base in Ławica (from 5 to 6 January 1919). The battalion became part of the 10th Greater Poland Rifle Regiment? from 23 January till 14 April, he served as an adjutant. By decree No. 41 (item 117 of 13 April 1919) of the Commissariat of the Supreme People’s Council, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant (with precedence from 1 November 1917). On 14 April 1919, he was transferred to the 2nd division of the 1st Greater Poland Heavy Artillery Regiment as battery commander. On 26 May, he was appointed commander of the 3rd battalion of the 1st Reserve Regiment. From 1 September till 20 September, he was assigned to the non-commissioned officer training school of the 1st Greater Poland Rifle Regiment. On 16 April 1920, he took command of a battery in the 14th Light Artillery Regiment and from 20 July, command of 5 batteries in the 15th Heavy Artillery Regiment. As battery commander, during the battle for Płock, on 18-19 August 1920, he commanded the 5th battery of the 15th Heavy Artillery Regiment. He contributed to the failure of the Bolsheviks to capture Płock. Until the very final moments, when the 5th battery came under the strong fire of the enemy’s artillery, he stayed at his observation post to rescue the optical, measuring and telephone instruments, and he succeeded in that, even though he was cut off from his troop. Then, he swam across the Vistula River under enemy fire. For this deed, he received the Order of Virtuti Militari of the 5th class. (No. 4122). On 20 October he was promoted to the rank of captain. From 1 December, he was assigned to the 15th Infantry Division and from 20 February, to the Pomerania General District Command? from 1 August, he was temporary commander of the 30th Heavy Artillery Battalion and then commander of the reserve personnel of the 7th Heavy Artillery Regiment. From 17 October, he was transferred to Corps District Command No. VII, on 2 December, he took command of the reserve personnel of the 7th Heavy Artillery Regiment, and from 19 June 1922 he was commander of the 2nd division of the 7th Heavy Artillery Regiment and, later, the reserve personnel. From 24 October 1923, he was commander of the 1st division of the 7th Heavy Artillery Regiment. From 26 July 1924, he was the quartermaster. On 25 April 1927, he became a major. From 1 August 1929, he was commander of the 3rd division of the 7th Heavy Artillery Regiment and from 15 February 1932 - commander of the 2nd division of the 19th Heavy Artillery Regiment. On 1 January 1934 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and transferred on 27 April of the same year to the 17th Light Artillery Regiment to hold the post of deputy commander of the regiment. From 1936, he was deputy commander of the 10th Heavy Artillery Regiment. In September 1939, he commanded the divisional artillery in the 36th Reserve Infantry Division which was part of the “Prussia” Army. After 17 September 1939, under unknown circumstances, he was taken captive by the Soviets and then incarcerated in the camp at Kozelsk. He was included on transport list No. 032/1 dated 14 April 1940. He was murdered in Katyn. He was also awarded the Cross of Independence with Swords, the Cross of Valour, the Golden Cross of Merit and numerous medals and badges. He had three sons from his marriage to Maria née Pędzińska: Ryszard Jan (1926), Jerzy Bronisław (1931) and Andrzej.

B. Polak, Pinecki Bolesław Wiktor ppłk (16 IX 1892 - 1940) (in:) Słownik biograficzny powstańców wielkopolskich 1918-1919, ed. A. Czubiński, B. Polak, Poznań 2002, pp. 277-278? B. Polak, Pinecki Bolesław Wiktor (16 IX 1892 - 1940) (in:) Wielkopolanie Kawalerowie Orderu Virtuti Militari 1918-1920. ed: Bogusław Polak, Michał Polak, Koszalin 2010, pp. 156-157.

Bogusław Polak