Anglo-Polish spy. Andrzej Kowerski was born in Labunie in Poland. After his military service, he studied agriculture at Cracow University. Just after he graduated, he was shot in the foot in a hunting accident, and had to travel to England to be fitted with an artificial leg. On the outbreak of the Second World War, Kowerski joined the Black Brigade, Poland's only motorised unit, named after the uniform of black leather jackets. He reached the rank of Lieutenant and was awarded the Virtuti Militari, which has been described as "Poland's equivalent of the Victoria Cross." The Brigade were captured, but escaped into Hungary, where they were interned unter international law. After two days, Kowerski escaped and joined the resistance movement. Here he met Krystyna Skarbek, whom he had known slightly in Poland, and they soon became lovers. When the pair were issued with false British passports, Krystyna chose the name of Christine Granville (q.v.), and Kowerski re-named himself Andrew Kennedy, after a cousin of his who had married an Irishman of that name. After working in espionage in the Middle East, Kennedy took a parachute course, being the first one-legged man to do so, and was sent to Ostumi in Italy, as liason officer for the Polish School of Parachutists who were to be dropped into their homeland. After the war, Andrew Kennedy and Christine Granville both became British subjects; he was awarded the M.B.E., whereas she became an O.B.E. He went to Germany to work in the automobile business, and he died in Munich, but his remains were brought back to London to be buried in the same grave as Christine.
Anglo-Polish spy. Andrzej Kowerski was born in Labunie in Poland. After his military service, he studied agriculture at Cracow University. Just after he graduated, he was shot in the foot in a hunting accident, and had to travel to England to be fitted with an artificial leg. On the outbreak of the Second World War, Kowerski joined the Black Brigade, Poland's only motorised unit, named after the uniform of black leather jackets. He reached the rank of Lieutenant and was awarded the Virtuti Militari, which has been described as "Poland's equivalent of the Victoria Cross." The Brigade were captured, but escaped into Hungary, where they were interned unter international law. After two days, Kowerski escaped and joined the resistance movement. Here he met Krystyna Skarbek, whom he had known slightly in Poland, and they soon became lovers. When the pair were issued with false British passports, Krystyna chose the name of Christine Granville (q.v.), and Kowerski re-named himself Andrew Kennedy, after a cousin of his who had married an Irishman of that name. After working in espionage in the Middle East, Kennedy took a parachute course, being the first one-legged man to do so, and was sent to Ostumi in Italy, as liason officer for the Polish School of Parachutists who were to be dropped into their homeland. After the war, Andrew Kennedy and Christine Granville both became British subjects; he was awarded the M.B.E., whereas she became an O.B.E. He went to Germany to work in the automobile business, and he died in Munich, but his remains were brought back to London to be buried in the same grave as Christine.
Bio by: Iain MacFarlaine
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