Soldier’s prayer book

Lord stay with us. Prayer and song book, edit. Polish Field Ministry for the Polish Army in the Middle East, Jerusalem 1943.

This prayer book belonged to a soldier of the II Polish Corps, commonly called the Anders’ Army. These troops from 1944 to 1945 fought against the Nazis on the Italian Front.
That book was issued by the Sisters of Saint Elizabeth in Jerusalem and was the 3rd edition of this military prayer book. Imprimatur was issued by patriarch Aloysius and Polish Field Bishop Józef Gawlina. As we can read in a Foreword by priest Jan Brandys, it was written to “help soldiers to know and love God”. Because of that, except usual prayers it contains also general thoughts about soldiers and leads how to deal in the Christian way with civilians and enemy soldiers.

On the front cover Polish crowned eagle embraces with its wings a Jerusalem cross, before the cross there are a pyramid and palm trees. Above a legend: PWSW – Polish Armed Forces of the Middle East.

Jan Brandys (1886 – 1970) – Roman Catholic priest since 1912, graduate of the University of Wroclaw. Fought in 1st and 3rd Silesian uprising. He was very active in helping the Silesian veterans, what caused that he was haunted by the Nazis before 2nd World War. After the 1st September 1939 he was in France, later moved to Syria, where he was a the chaplain of Polish Army in the Middle East. After war he lived in the United Kingdom. Many times decorated, for example with the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta.