Life in the Polish Army
This story was submitted to the People's War site by the Dunstable At War Team on behalf of the author and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.
I was born in Poland in 1925. The road to Dunstable began on 10th February 1940 when after the fall of Poland, I was deported with my whole family to Siberia. In September 1941 we were released and allowed to travel south. After 12 weeks of train journey through Siberia, the Ural Mountains and Uzbekhistan we were put to work on cotton fields.
In February 1942 I joined the Polish Army being mobilised again. In September 1942 we were evacuated to Persia (Iran) and next we were moved to Khanaquin in Iraq. In April 1943 we were transferred to the Polish Army in Scotland through South Africa, arriving in Scotland in September 1943. Here I joined the 1st Polish Armoured Division, Signal Unit. I trained as a telegraphist in Catterick Camp returning to Galashiels. On 31st July 1944 I landed in Normandy .
I was then in action through France, Belgium, Holland and Germany until the end of the war. I stayed with the Army of Occupation in Germany until 1946 when we returned to Witley Camp in England. I was demobbed in May 1948 from the Army and ended up in Marsworth Camp, Tring in 1950.
In November 1961 I moved to Dunstable and was employed by the Empire Rubber Company. After 34 years I retired in 1990.