Stefan Kossecki

Kossecki was born on November 27, 1889, in a Polish noble family (Rawa coat of arms), in the village of Sawince near Kamieniec Podolski, Russian Empire.

After graduation in 1911, he joined Imperial Russian Army's 13th Foot Rifles Regiment, which was subjected to Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich.

He fought the Red Army in Belarus: during the Battle of Rahachow (February 1918), in which his company repelled fanatical Bolshevik regiment of Latvians, he was in 1922 awarded Solver Cross of the Virtuti Militari.

On November 1, 1918, in Warsaw, Kossecki joined newly established Polish Army and helped to open the Ministry of Military Affairs.

After graduation in 1926, he was promoted to the rank of Officer of Polish General Staff, and Marshal Józef Piłsudski sent him to the Army Inspectorate in Toruń.

In 1934, Stefan Kossecki participated in the last military exercise commanded Józef Piłsudski, and was honored by the Marshal, together with Colonel Stanisław Maczek.

On August 20, 1939, Kossecki was named commandant of the 18th Infantry Division (Łomża), which in September 1939 belonged to Independent Operational Group Narew.

After leaving hospital (November 1939), he wanted to cross the newly established Soviet–German demarcation line, but was captured by the NKVD near Brześć nad Bugiem.