Edward was born in eastern Poland on 1 January 1920.​ In 1939, as the Germans and Russians were running roughshod over his native Poland, Edward Jakubowski was given a choice. He could either join the Soviet army and fight with the communists or be sent to a Russian labour camp. Jakubowski chose the former.

 

He was forcibly conscripted into the Red Army but was later sent to Siberia. He describes the experience as follows: “They would slowly starve you to death. It was cold and whatever you had on you was your bedding, your clothing.  It was 50 below zero. You could spit on a foot, and it turned to ice. You were up to your waist in snow.”

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When ‘amnesty’ for all Poles imprisoned in the USSR was negotiated by the Polish-government-in-exile, Edward left Siberia and made his way south to join the Polish army that was being formed there, under the command of General Anders.

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He evacuated to Persia with the army, served in the Polish 2nd Corps in the Middle East and in the Italian Campaign, including the Battle of Monte Cassino. Four times between January and May 1944. the Allies were assaulted by the Germans as they attempted to capture Monte Cassino. When all was said and done, 55,000 allies lay dead, with 20,000 German perishing in the fighting - a battle that to the Poles stood as a symbol of hope for their country. Jakubowski said it was tough to live through, not knowing if you were going to live or die. “You’d make friends with someone, you’d tell them everything, then you’d turn around, and they would be dead,” he said.

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When the war ended, and soldiers were released to go home, Jakubowski and many of his colleagues realized they had nowhere to go. Poland was now under Russian control. Edward chose to sign up for a two-year work contract in Canada. On 1 Nov. 1946, he left Naples and arrived in Halifax on 11 Nov. and then found his way to Winnipeg.

He met his future wife, Wiktoria Leitch, in Winnipeg, and they were married in October 1948. They then settled in Fort William, one of the twin cities that today is part of Thunder Bay, and raised their children: Brenadine and Douglas.

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Edward worked at various jobs, until taking employment at CPR, then at McKellar Hospital as a Stationary Engineer for 18 years until retirement in 1985. He was a member of IUOE Local #865, a member of St. Casimir's Church, and a member of the Polish Veterans Royal Canadian Legion Branch #149.

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Edward passed away in Thunder Bay on 23 November 2013, at the age of 93 years. He was buried in St. Andrew’s cemetery.

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Copyright: Jakubowski family

 

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