Jozef Kruczek

Jozef Kruczek was born in Jablonow, in western Poland, on April 22, 1922.

The Germans invaded Poland from the west on 1 September 1939, and the Russians invaded from the east on 17 September 1939. They divided Poland between them.

Jozef was sent to forced labour in Germany. He escaped and made his way to England where he joined General Maczek's Army – the 1st Polish Armoured Division. He was part of the D-Day invasion of Normandy and fought in the European Campaign of the Division in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany.

After being wounded and sent back to England to recover, Jozef later joined the Polish Resettlement Corps at Camp Whitley, UK. Here he met Alfreda; they married, and their daughter Krystyna was born there.

In July of 1949, after deciding to come to Canada, they departed from the Port of Southampton, UK, aboard the ship "Aquitania" and made their way to Winnipeg, where they permanently settled.

Jozef passed away in Winnipeg on 27 May 2017 at the age of 95 years.