Franciszek Walkerman

Translation of parts of an

interview by Prof. Patalas

I was born in 1916 in Zimna Wola, near Lwow. In 1939, I was on active duty in the 5th Anti-tank Regiment when the war broke out. I was sent to NCO school and then assigned to the 6th Reconnaissance Ground Squadron, servicing and maintaining airplanes.

When orders came to withdraw, our entire unit crossed to Romania at Kuty. I escaped the internment camp and made my way to France. When the forces were evacuated to England, I was sent to 505 Squadron in Blackpool. I was later reassigned to 300 Squadron, then I volunteered for 301 Squadron in Italy. Our destination was various points behind enemy lines. During the Warsaw Uprising we supplied the insurgents with weapons and ammunition.

After the war, I spent some time in England, before emigrating to Canada in 1951, where I worked for the MacDonald Company in Winnipeg, and later the Bristol in Cambridge.

I met a young lady from the Domszy family, we were married in 1952, and we raised three daughters and two sons. I have belonged to the Polish Combatants Association #13 since the early 1950s. I have served as a board member and participated in its various initiatives, such as organizing the very successful Polish pavilion during Folklorama.