Nikodem Tawkin

Polish 2nd Corps

Nikodem was born on 15 September 1918, in the village of Jody, in Wilno province, Poland. The Germans invaded Poland from the west on 1 September 1939, and the Russians invaded from the east on 17 September 1939. They divided Poland between them. Nikodem had been called up to the Polish army in August and fought in the September 1939 Campaign. He was subsequently captured by the Russians and sent to a POW camp in Siberia.

In June 1941, Germany turned on its ally, Russia. Stalin then quickly changed tactics and allied himself with the west so that the allies could help him defeat the Germans. This led to the signing of the Sikorski-Majewski agreement that called for the freeing of Poles imprisoned in POW camps and labour camps in the USSR, and the formation of a Polish Army in the southern USSR.

The news of this ‘amnesty’ did not reach every camp, but where it did become known, the men and boys soon made plans to make their way south to join the army. For most, this meant walking thousands of kilometers and only occasionally getting on a train for part of the journey. Many did not make it, and those who did were emaciated skeletons by the time they got there. Nikodem was among those who made this perilous journey.

General Anders oversaw the army, and he tried hard to get the Russians to provide the food and equipment they had promised. When this became increasingly impossible, he negotiated the right to evacuate the army to Persia, where the British would provide what was needed.

The evacuation took place by ship over the Caspian Sea to Pahlavi in Persia (now Iran). The ships that were used were oil tankers and coal ships, and other ships that were not equipped to handle passengers. They were filthy and lacked even the necessities, like water and latrines. The soldiers and civilians filled these ships to capacity for the 1-2-day trip.

Nikodem joined the Polish 2nd Corps in Persia, served in the Middle East and then in the Italian Campaign. He was awarded the Polish Army in the West medal, the Polish Monte Cassinio Cross, the British 1939-19445 War medal, and the British Italy Star.

He came to Winnipeg on 23 November 1946 on a 2-year work contract. He then worked at CP Rail for 27 years, retiring in 1983.

Nikodem passed away on 17 April 2007 at the age of 88 years. He was buried at the Holy Ghost Cemetery.