Mieczyslaw Kierklo

Home Army (AK) & 1st Polish Armoured Division

Mieczyslaw was born in 1920 in District of Augustow, in the Bialystok province of eastern Poland. After completing trade school, he worked in an aircraft establishment in Rzeszow, in the Lwow province.

During the Red Army invasion, he was wounded in an air raid and then joined the Polish underground (the Home Army). In 1941, he was arrested by Soviets and spent eight months in prison. He was sentenced to eight years at a hard labour camp in Siberia.

Mieczyslaw was released by the ‘amnesty’ on 15 October 1941. He journeyed south to join the Polish army that was being formed in the USSR. He evacuated to the Middle East with the army then was sent to Scotland via South Africa and Brazil.

There he joined the Polish 1st Polish Armoured Division led by General Maczek. After extensive training, he took part in the 1944-1945 Western Europe Campaign, fighting in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany.

Demobilized in 1947, Mieczyslaw returned to Great Britain and then emigrated with his family the United States in 1954. He retired from Exello Corp. in 1982.

Mieczyslaw was a member of:

the J. Pilsudski' Institute of New York
the Polish American Congress in Connecticut
the First Polish Armoured Division Veterans Association of Chicago
the General Haller Post
the Falcons Nest 88
and an Honorary member of the Polonia Paderewski Choir

Mieczyslaw was an author of several books like:

"W Moin Zwierciadle"
"Wiersze Takie I Inne"
"Rymowane Sciezki"
"I Skierki Ducha"

He also published great many article in the Polish Press in the United States and in Poland. He was known by many organizations as an active organizer and author of the souvenir books called "Pamietniki".

Mieczyslaw Kierklo passed away in in New Britain, CT on 23 March 2004, at the age of 84 years. He was buried at the Sacred Heart Cemetery. He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Jolanta. and his son, Edward.