

Personal memoirs
Learn the history
through personal stories
Helena ANTOLAK- Deported to Archangielsk region with her parents, sister, and brother. Her father later died in Kermine, and the rest of the family were sent to Ifundi in East Africa. Helena later joined the Women';s Auxiliary of the Polish 2nd Corps and worked in a hospital in Scotland. After the war, she settled in Scotland.
Bozena BALUT - Bozena Balut’s address to the Polish-Canadian Group on November 11, 1995. Inspired by her parents’ and grandparents’ generations, and by Polish soldiers serving in the Allied forces and in the Home Army. Dedicated to the memory of Jozef Majcher, soldier of the Polish Second Corps (and her mother’s older brother), killed in action in Italy in1944, and Stefan Jerzy Zukotynski, Flying Officer, RAF, Polish Squadron 300 (and her paternal grandmother’s youngest brother), shot down over France in 1943.
CYGANIEWICZ-HALKO Lech - Excerpt from his book "The Anchor The Chosen Coat of Arms" describing life at Stalag IX-B Fallingbostel where Warsaw Uprising participants were taken.
Waldemar CZYZ - Waldemar was a member of the 1st Polish Armoured Division and and participated in the Northern European Campaign. He settled in the US after the war
Franciszka DOBROWOLSKA - Born in 1906, she writes a detailed account of her life from early childhood. After their husbands were arrested by the Russians, she and her sister were deported to Siberia with their children. On release, they spent the war years in Koja, Uganda in Africa. She settled in the UK after the war, later emigrating to Canada.
Jan DREWNIAK - Born in 1919 in the Postolowka settlement of Tarnopol province, he was forcibly conscripted into the Russian Army in 1940. Released on 'amnesty', he joined the Polish 2nd Corps, evacuated to the Middle East, and later fought in the Italian Campaign. He met and married Lucia Materiale and lived in Italy after the war, before emigrating to Canada in 1948.
Irena (Baranowska) EHRLICH- Deported to Siberia with her parents and siblings. On release, she joined the Polish 2nd Corps, her brother joined the Cadets, and the rest of the family spent 5 years in East Africa. She emigrated to Canada after the war, first to Saskatchewan, and then to Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Bronislawa FRANCUZ - Intellectually and physically disabled, she was deported with her family to Siberia, then evacuating with the Polish Army to Persia (Iran) and spent 6 years at the Valivade Camp in India before settling in the UK. She ended up being left alone in the UK when her family moved to the US, and she ended up in a mental insdtitution for some years, before being moved to a Care Home.
Andrzej GARLICKI - After his father was arrested by the Russians, he and his mother and brother were deported. His father was later executed by the Russians at Katyn. On release, Andrzej joined the Polish 2nd Corps and participated in the Italian Campaign. After spending 5 years in the UK, Andrzej emigrated to Canada.
Jan GARLICKI - After his father was arrested by the Russians, he and his mother and brother were deported. His father was later executed by the Russians at Katyn. On release, Jan joined the Polish 2nd Corps and participated in the Italian Campaign. After spending a few years in the UK, Jan emigrated to Argentina and later to Canada.
Witold GLINSKI - Deported with her family, he was separated from them and ended up in a labour camp near the Chinese border. He escaped, along with 6 other prisoners, and they made the incredible trek to India. Only 4 of them survived the journey. Witold joined the 1st Polish Armoured Division in England. He settled in the UK after the war.
GORAL and Radomski Families - The families were deported from the Eastern Borderlands in Feb. 1940. On release, they made their way to join Anders Army, evacuating to the Middle East, and eventually settling in the UK. Their story is told in the books: Midnight Train to Siberia and Escaping Siberia.
Piotr & Wladyslawa GRABOWSKI- Piotr fought in the September Campaign, was captured by the Germans and spent the rest of the war in a German Prisoner of War Camp. Wladyslawa was arrested by the Germans and sent to a Slave Labour Camp in Germany. A portion of their histories is presented here as excerpts from their daughter's book titled "The Soul's Journey".
Jozefa GRZESKOWIAK-KIERKIEWICZ - She describe the journey south in the USSR after they were released by the 'amnesty', and then the journey to reach the Abercorn Settlement in East Africa. Jozefa also provides details about the settlement and what it was like to live there for 4 years before returning to Poland.
Thaddeu JAROSZEWICZ - The parents were deported with 7 children.. On release, the father joined the Engineering Corps of the Polish 2nd Corps, and the oldest daughter joined the Women's Auxiliary of the Polish 2nd Corps. The mother, 3 daughters and one son spent the war years in Tengeru, Africa. The family spent a few years in the UK after the war, then eventually settled in the USA.
Stanislawa JASIONOWICZ - Deported at age 9 with her family to the gold-mining town of Dzytygara in Northern Kazakhstan. Released on 'amnesty', the family journeyed south to find the Polish Army being formed in the USSR, Her brother Edward joined the cadets. The rest of the family spent the war years in Lebanon, before moving to the UK. Stanislawa became Sister Maria Teresa.
Róża KISIELEWSKA - After her father`s arrest, she was deported to Kazakhstan with her mother and brother. When they reached Persia, she volunteered for the Women`s Auxiliary of the Polish 2nd Corps and served in the Italian Campaign. The family spent some years in Soouth America before settling in Canada.
Boleslaw KONTRYM - He was a man who had more lives than a cat - and more medals than a Soviet marsha. He fought on the Russian side in WW1, eventually joined the Polish side, participated in the Warsaw Uprising, escaped capture and then joined the1st Polish Armoured Division. He returned to Poland after the war and was tortured and executed by the Communist authorities.
Stanislaw J. KOWALSKI - Stanislaw describes the conditions in Kolyma, Siberia which he was one of the few to eventually escape. Freed by the 'amnesty', he made his way to join the Polish 2ns Corps, and was later transferred to the 1st Polish Armoured Division. He fought the European Campaign and settled in England after the war.
Jozef KROLCZYK- He participated in the September Campaign and was later deported with his family and his wife's family. His parents and one of his brothers died in Siberia. On release, he joined the Polish 2nd Corps and served in the Middle East and in the Italian Campaign. After the war, he settled in the UK.
Irena KRZYSKOW-WALLACE - Deported to Siberia with her family. On release, her father joined the Polish 2nd Corps and fought in the Italian Campaign. Irena and her sister Mary, spent the war years in years in Africa - first at Outschoorn, then Digglefold, and finally Gatooma. In 1947, they joined their father in England, and eventually settled in Canada.
Jan KUDLA - Deported with his parents and siblings to a labour camp in Siberia, and their subsequent journey south to freedom. He joined the Polish 2nd Corps, then transferred to the 1st Polish Armoured Division and participated in the European Campaign. He returned to Poland after the war and worked for the underground, for which he was imprisoned.
Irena KUS - Deported to Siberia with her entire family. On release, her father joined the Polish 2nd Corps and fought in the Italian Campaign. One brother served in 304 Squadron of the Polish Air Force in the UK. Another brother joined the 1st Polish Armoured Division and fought in the European Campaign. Irena, her mother, and youngest brother spent 6 years in Masindi, Africa, then went to the UK, and eventually settled in Canada.
Danuta LUKOMSKA - Deported with her parents and three sisters to the Arkhangelsk region of Siberia. Her father died in a Siberian jail, and one sister died on a ship on the Indian Ocean. Danuta spent some time at the camp in Valivade, India, and in Koja, Uganda. After the war, sje settled in Canada.
Wladyslawa MAJEWSKA - Reknowned performer with the "Wesola Lwowska Fala" that evacuated to Romania at the onset of the war, then made their way to France and eventually to Scotland. She performed with the troupe in Scotland and England, and then across Europe with the 1st Polish Armoured Division. She settle in the UK after the war.
MARKUT Stanislaw & Antonina - Both families were deported to Siberia. On release, Stanislaw joined the Polish 2nd Corps and was later transfered to the 1st Polish Armoured Division (1PAD). Antonina joined the 317 Transport Company of the Women's Auxiliary of the Polish 2nd Corps. They met and married after the war and eventually settled in the US.
MARTUSEWICZ-BALUT kRYSTYNA - Krystyna was deported to Siberia with her mother and grandmother. On release, they made their was south and evacuated to Persia with the Polish Army, then were sent to the Valivade Camp in India. In 1947, they were moved to the Koja Camp in Uganda. They later emigrated to Canada.
Henryk MARYNOWICZ - Henryk participated in several battles of the September Campaign in Poland. He returned home and was deporyted to Kazakhstan with his mother, brother Wladyslaw and sister Jadwiga. On release, he joined the Polish 2nd Corps and served in the Middle East. He was seconded for study in the UK where he settled after the war.
Adam MERCIK - His father was a member of the General Staff ,so he evacuated to Romania with his parents, then made his way to Palestine where he entered cadet school. At age 17, he enlisted in the Polish 2nd Corps and participated in the Italian Campaign. He completed engineering studies in England and then settled in Canada.
Casimir & Zofia MORAWSKI - The family was deported to Siberia. On release, Zofia and her daughter ended up at Valivade Camp in India, while her husband and one son served in the Polish 2nd Corps. The other son was sent to a hospital in South Africa and settled there after the war, They lived in the UK after the war, and eventually emigratyed ro Canada.
Zygmunt NAGORSKI - He fought in the September Campaign in Poland, then made his way to France to join the Polish Forces there. After evacuating to the UK, he joined the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade based in Scotland. After the war, he emigrated to the U.S. and became a foreign policy expert and later founded the Center for International Leadership, a training and development group for senior executives.
Prof. Wojciech NAREBSKI - Arrested by the Russians for working for the Home Army, he spent some time in prison before being sent to Siberia. On release, he joined the Polish 2nd Corps and trained as a driver. He completed high school at the Cadet school in Barbara, and later participated in the Italian Campaign. After the war he returned to Poland where he completed a PhD and had many scientific successes.
Franciszek NEDZA - He participated in the September Campaign, then evacuated to Hungary, and made his way to France to join the army there. He then evacuated to the UK and joined the 1st Polish Armoured Division. He trained in Scotland and then participated in the European Campaign, settling in the UK after the war.
Stefan OLBRECHT - Deported at age 13 with his parents, grandparents, and siblings. On release, he joined the Cadets and evacuated with the Polish Army to the Middle East. He later volunteered to join the Polish 2nd Corps, and participated in the Italian Campaign. After the war he eventually settled on Canada.
Stanislawa PAWLIK - Deported with her parents and siblings to Zytygara in the northernmost region of Kazakhstan when she was 5 years old. Her parents and one brother died in Teheran in April 1942, just as they had reached freedom. She and her sisters spent the next 3+ years at the Isfahan orphanage, before continuing their studies in Lebanon. Stanislawa sailed to the UK in 1948, at age 13.
Piotr POLACIK - As a member of the Polish 2nd Corps - 3DSK, Piotr served in North Africa and in the Italian Campaign. He was awarded the Virtuti Militari Cross and the Cross of Valour, among other medals. After the war he signed up for a two-year work contract in Tasmania, Australia and then settled in Hobart.