Pietryka Family | polishexiles

Jozef Petryka

PETRYKA Family

Jozef Petryka was born in Przysietnica, in Bresc province, Poland in 1899. In 1921 he and his family relocated to Polska Wola near Tarnopol. He was married to Emilia Klepek, who died before the war, and had two children, Bronislawa and Ludwik.

Jozef and his children, along with members of his family (including Kazimierz Kondol and his wife Maria (nee Petryka), and his brothers Stanislaw, Franciszek, and Wladyslaw), were deported to Siberia by the Russians. His son Ludwik died as a child in the gulag.

Jozef and his surviving brothers all joined the Polish 2nd Corps.

Stanisław Petryka (born in 1909) He joined the Polish 2nd Corps, was evacuated to Persia (now Iran) and died there in 1942.

Franciszek Petryka (born in 1908) was a Private in the Polish 2nd Corps. His Service Number was 1908-183-III, and his unit was the 23rd Transport Company. He was awarded the Monte Cassino Cross, the Italy Star, the 1939-1945 Star, and the War medal. He died in 1955 in Leicester, England.

Wladyslaw Petryka (born in 1912) served in the September Campaign, was captured by the Russians and sent to a POW camp in the Rowne area. On release he joined the Polish 2nd Corps and fought in the Italian Campaign. He was awarded the Monte Cassino Cross, the Italy Star, the 1939-1945 Star, and the War medal. After the war he settled in Leicester where he worked as a painter.

Józef Petryka served in the 31st Sanitary (Medical) Company of the Polish 2nd Corps. While serving at Monte Cassino he was a Private. His service number was 1899-129-III. He was awarded the Cross of Valour, the Monte Cassino Cross, the Italy Star, the 1939-1945 Star, and the War medal. He was mentioned in a memoir as dragging injured men back down the mountain. After the war he settled in Leicester, England, where he died in September 1980.

Kazimierz Kondol was born on 5 February 1918. On release from Siberia, he also joined the Polish 2nd Corps, Service # 1918-228-III, 18th Rifle Battalion of the 5th Kresowa Infantry Division. He fought in the Italian Campaign as a Riflemen. He was killed at Loreto on 21 August 1944. He was posthumously awarded the Monte Cassino Cross, the Italy Star, the 1939-1945 Star, and the War medal.