Franciszek Józef Filipek was born on 10 November 1909 in Stanisławów (today Ukrainian Ivano Frankivsk), in Galicia, which was a part of the Austrian – Hungarian Empire. Hence it is easy to guess that the names Franciszek Józef was given in honor of the reigning emperor of Austria - Franz Joseph I. In 1927 he married Wanda Józefa Bartoszewska, with whom he lived in Stanisławów.

He was mobilized to the Polish army on 27 August 1939, as a soldier of the 48th Infantry Rifle Regiment in Stanisławów. From 3 September 1939 to 16 September 1939, he took part in fighting against German aggressors in Bochnia, Zamosc, Janowiec, and Tomaszów Lubelski. He then joined the 16 Tarnów Infantry Regiment. After the aggression of the Soviet troops in eastern Poland on 17 September 1939, he was captured by the Russians and was imprisoned in a Siberian camp, where he remained until 1942.

 

On 1 February 1942, he joined the Polish 2nd Corps formed by General Wladyslaw Anders. Since that time, he was a soldier of the Kresowiecki Regiment. He had left his wife and three children in Stanisławów and never saw them again. In April 1942, he evacuated with the Polish Army to Persia (now Iran). On 25 March 1942, the regiment sailed from Krasnowodsk (USSR) to Pahlevi (Iran).

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On 13 May 1943, he arrived in Palestine and is then sent in May to the British training base in the village of Abbassi (northern outskirts of Cairo), where he attends the course as a tank and motor mechanic. On 11 January 1944 is he was promoted to the rank of corporal. From 8 April 1944 to 8 May 1945, he took part in the Italian Campaign, including the battle at Monte Cassino, as a soldier of 2nd Armoured Brigade.

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For the participation in the Italian campaign was awarded:

• the 1939-45 Star

• the Italy Star

• the Defence Medal

• the War Medal 1939-45

After the war, along with other soldiers of the Polish 2nd Corps, he found himself in the UK, where he joined the Polish Resettlement Corps. On10 July 1948 was demobilized from the Polish Armed Forces in the UK and he emigrated to Argentina. He later emigrated to Canada.

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