British Forces in Upper Silesia 1922

[Jamesb853]

Attached is a scan of an interesting piece of "trench art": a cigarette lighter with a commemorative inscription "In memory of Upper Silesia 1922" and an engraving of a coal mining scene. The story behind this item is an interesting one, and relates to one of the lesser-known British military operations of the inter-war period.

In the aftermath of World War I there was much political hand-wringing among the Allies over the borders of the new countries established following the collapse of the German and Austrian empires. Tensions between German and other nationalities in these regions soon arose and erupted into armed conflict. One of these "hotspots" was Upper Silesia. an area of Eastern Germany with a largely ethnically Polish population, and an important coal-mining area. The Allies decided to hold a plebiscite (referendum) to decide whether Upper Silesia should remain German, or become part of Poland.

So serious was the violence between the factions that allied troops were sent as a peacekeeping force, and to supervise the elections, which were held in 1921. The British sent several contingents from Irish Regiments and the Durham Light Infantry, to perform this role. They remained there until peace was re-established the following year.

[kindzjal]

That's a great piece of history!