Ignacy Zywotkiewicz

Polish 2nd Corps

Ignacy was born on 1 November 1920 near Wilno, Poland. He was called up for military service when mobilisation took place prior to the German invasion. He was subsequently captured by the Russians and deported to a labour camp in Siberia, having endured several weeks in a goods train under very primitive conditions. There was little food, and no medical facilities at the labour camp, and disease was rampant.

In 1941, he was among 45,000 men whose freedom was negotiated by the Polish-government-in-exile and he volunteered to serve in the Polish 2nd Corps under the leadership of General Wladyshaw Anders. Ignacy evacuated the USSR to Persia (now Iran) with the army,

Ignace trained in the Middle East, then fought in the Battle of Tobruk in North Africa, before engaging in the massive and bloody battle at Monte Cassino, Italy. The Polish 2nd Corps capturing of Cassino, expedited the breaching of the Gustav Line, the Allied capture of Rome, and was a significant turning point on the Italian Front in the Second World War.

He was awarded the Monte Cassino Cross, the 1939-1945 War medal, and the Defence medal.

Ignacy emigrated to Canada in 1947, under the terms of a two-year contract to work on a farm in order to repay his passage. When he compled the contract, he settled in Winnipeg, where he met and married Maria Naumczyk in 1949, a marriage that endured for 63 years, raising three sons.

He was very active in the Polish Veterans Association Branch #13, as well as in the Canadian Polish Legion #246.

Ignacy passed away in Winnipeg on 15 September 2012, at the age of 91 years. He was buried at the Holy Ghost Cemetery.