Landships II

MLW · Lieutenant-Colonel

There is still a living WWI Veteran in Poland

Albert · Brigadier

He is NOT a WW1 veteran!

MLW · Lieutenant-Colonel

The article states "He soon enlisted in the Polish army, and fought in a Polish cavalry unit during World War I."� If this is wrong, please correct the statement and provide a reference to refute the article.

Albert · Brigadier

Read wikipedia in English and Polish and countless articles in Polish published every year.

Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_surviving_veterans_of_World_War_I
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B3zef_Kowalski
http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B3zef_Kowalski_(weteran)

Article in English:

http://www.thenews.pl/1/9/Artykul/91254,1920-War-veteran-gets-promotion

Examples of articles in Polish:

http://www.wp.mil.pl/pl/artykul/12476
http://fakty.interia.pl/galerie/galeria/112-letni-jozef-kowalski-awansowany/zdjecie/duze,1599367,1

I have no idea where was information on him fighting in WW1 taken from by the author of the article (probably from this article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/polands-defense-minister-promotes-wwi-veteran-aged-112-to-captain/2012/02/24/gIQApuZoXR_story.html), but it is obviously wrong. Believe me - if it was true, everyone would stress it, because it would be sensational that a Pole is the last living WW1 veteran. In reality he is the last living veteran of the Polish-Soviet war of 1919-1921 (another mistake in the article is that it is written that this war was in 1919-1920). He also fought in 1939 Defensive War.

-- Edited by Albert on Friday 2nd of March 2012 11:57:10 AM

K-Flak · Lieutenant

Please, have a look at a Polish paper which is surely more reliable than any non-Polish paper. It is not claiming any WWI participation:

http://www.thenews.pl/1/9/Artykul/91254,1920-War-veteran-gets-promotion

No word about a WWI veteran. He is the last veteran of the Polish war against Soviet Russia.

No word about any participation in the Polish Legion (since 1916) or the so-called "Polish Army" in the West in 1917/18. A real Polish Army was not established before the end of WWI.

�

-- Edited by K-Flak on Saturday 3rd of March 2012 11:21:09 AM

MLW · Lieutenant-Colonel

Albert,

First, there is no need to apologize about your English - it is very good.�

Second, I am not sure that we can dismiss the article's comment about J�zef Kowalski being a WWI veteran.� To me, the Washington Post article (from the Associated Press) is a more reliable source than Wikipedia, yet either one could be wrong.� So there we have it - no definitive proof that Kowlaski was, or was not, a WWI veteran.

Regards,

Marc

�

Albert · Brigadier

K-Flak wrote:
Please, have a look at a Polish paper which is surely more reliable than any non-Polish paper. It is not claiming any WWI participation:
http://www.thenews.pl/1/9/Artykul/91254,1920-War-veteran-gets-promotion
No word about a WWI veteran. He is the last veteran of the Polish war against Soviet Russia.
No word about any participation in the Polish Legion (since 1916) or the so-called "Polish Army" in the West in 1917/18. A real Polish Army was not established before the end of WWI.
�

-- Edited by K-Flak on Saturday 3rd of March 2012 11:21:09 AM

�

That's right! If he was a WW1 veteran,�we Poles would know about it, such a fact simply wouldn't be overlooked!�Since many years on his every birthday and other occasions�(awards etc.) there are lots of new articles and information in TV news. I've never heard or read anything on him fighting in WW1. That's why I don't need any other proof - I'm 100% sure he is not a WW1 veteran. I think that private conversation with him is not needed wink �He was asked about his life many times, so unless he has amnesia�regarding the�years 1914-1918, he surely didn't fight in WW1 wink �The fact that theoretically he was old enough to fight in the second half of the war doesn't mean that he did.

K-Flak · Lieutenant

Indeed, you are right, Albert!

A simple misinformation was going like a wave though the English-speaking press and finally becomes "established fact".

James H · Legend

K-Flak wrote:
A simple misinformation was going like a wave though the English-speaking press and finally becomes "established fact".

�Now where have I come across that before?

K-Flak · Lieutenant

�

It is amazing to google with Polish WWI veteran, aged 112, promoted to captain. Everybody takes over the message with the wrong headline. And one source did even turn him into a Russian in error!

MLW · Lieutenant-Colonel

That is a problem with the Internet.� Lots of information, little vetting.� Without other means to verifiy the information, if something is repeated many times it must be true!