Edmund Szamrowicz was born in in a small border town in the northwest of Poland (back in the day when the border was with Germany) on 28 November 1924. He was the son of a professional serviceman who served as a Border Guard.

 

When the war broke out in 1939, Edmund was a schoolboy. When Germany annexed Poland, all Polish men had to serve in the German army.

 

In October 1942, Edmund was conscripted into the German army and served in North Africa. After Rommel was defeated in 1943, all Polish soldiers escaped to the allies and he then served s a Corporal in the 8th Infantry Battalion of the 1st Polish Armoured Division.

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Edmund participated in all the battles, from Falaise to Germany. After the liberation of Breda, all Polish soldiers were stationed in Breda for approx. 5 months. Edmund stayed at a farm of the Hooghuys in the present neighborhood of The Hague Beemden. After the liberation there were many liberation parties held in Breda. This is how Edmund made the acquaintance of Rikki Verleijsdonk.

 

After Breda, the Division ended up in Germany, where Edmund was part of the occupation forces. After he was demobilized, Edmund decided to return to Breda to his beloved Rikki. In June 1946, they got married and then lived in Spoorstraat, and later in  Tramsingel and Sparrenweg, and they had 5 children.

 

Edmund had quickly adapted to the Dutch culture and was a hard worker who supported his family. Edmund was a car mechanic at the central workplace of the BBA in Princenhage, then at the Travel agency the Pelikaan in the Ginneken. He also worked as a driver during busy periods, especially for trips to Poland. Former Polish soldiers would go to Warsaw by bus, and Edmund was their regular driver. The way back was always via Belgium to avoid border controls (for the vodka).

 

He was also a good sportsman and was a player in the Polish Cracovia volleyball association, that played at the highest level in the Netherlands. He was a volleyball player who had a spare, and a hard smash, and therefore was called the "gunner of Breda". He also played days in the BBA soccer team.

 

His saw his father and mother in 1957, after 15 years, when they could visit the Netherlands. From 1958, he visited his family every 2 years.

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Edmund passed away in Breda on 15 February 1988 at 63 years of age.

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Source: 1st Polish Armoured Division Facebook post

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