Hanwha Aerospace Europe, as a Strategic Partner of the Association of the Wounded and Injured in Missions Abroad, took part in the ceremonies commemorating the soldiers of the Polish 2nd Corps under General Władysław Anders, who fell during the Italian Campaign. The ceremonies were held on 23 September 2025 in two symbolic places: Loreto and Ancona.
The tribute honored the memory of brave soldiers who gave their lives not only for Poland but also for the freedom of other nations. Their sacrifice contributed to breaking through key German positions on the Italian Peninsula, which had a direct impact on the outcome of the war in Europe.
In Loreto, at the Polish War Cemetery, rest 1,081 soldiers of the 2nd Corps who died in the summer of 1944 – in the battle for Ancona, along the Metauro River, and during the assault on the Gothic Line. The necropolis, located at the foot of the basilica, consists of terraced graves surrounding a central obelisk bearing the Polish eagle and the names of the battles. It was there, accompanied by the daughter of one of the fallen soldiers and members of the clergy, that representatives of the Association and Hanwha Aerospace Europe laid commemorative wreaths. The ceremony was marked by the solemn sound of the bugle call “Sleep, Comrade,” followed by a minute of silence.
Later that day, the delegation visited Ancona. On 18 July 1944, soldiers of the 2nd Corps liberated this strategic Adriatic port, an operation planned by the Allies to shorten the supply lines of the British 8th Army and accelerate its advance northwards, paving the way to the breakthrough of the Gothic Line. At the commemorative plaque by Porta Santo Stefano, marking the entry of Polish troops into the city, flowers were laid and a symbolic candle was lit.
Hanwha Aerospace Europe is proud to support initiatives that combine care for historical memory with tangible assistance for veterans and their families. This effort is part of Hanwha’s global program of social engagement – where remembrance of the past meets responsibility for the future.
Historical Note
The Italian Campaign, in which the Polish 2nd Corps participated from 1944, was one of the toughest and longest operations of the Second World War. A particularly significant moment was the Battle of Ancona, fought in June and July 1944. It was the first operation in this campaign entrusted entirely to Polish troops. The liberation of the city on 18 July 1944 gave the Allies control over one of the largest Adriatic ports. This dramatically shortened and simplified supply routes, enabling the British 8th Army to accelerate its offensive and push north through Italy. It also confirmed the high morale and effectiveness of Anders’ soldiers, fighting far from their homeland.
At the same time, the battles along the Metauro River opened the way for the assault on the Gothic Line, the main German defensive position in the Apennines. Its breakthrough in the autumn of 1944 proved decisive: the collapse of this fortified line sealed the fate of northern Italy and brought the end of the war in Europe significantly closer.
Today, the Polish War Cemetery in Loreto, consecrated in May 1946, is the resting place of 1,081 soldiers of the 2nd Corps who fell in these battles. Built on terraced slopes below the basilica, it remains a place of memory for those who, by giving their lives “for our freedom and yours,” shaped a turning point in the Italian Campaign and secured their place in the history of Allied victory.
