Stanczak Family

Polish 2nd Corps & Africa

Tadeusz Stanczak was born on 28 March 1928, in the Puzieniewicze military settlement, 75kms west of Minsk, Poland (now Belarus). He was the second of five children of Antoni Stanczak and Pelagia (nee Chudzynska). He had one older sister named Lodzia, and three younger brothers, Karol, Julius, and Jan.

Tadeusz had a happy childhood in Poland until September 1939 when his father was taken prisoner by the Russians. He was later deported to Siberia with his mother and four siblings. Surviving the harsh conditions in a forced labour camp in Siberia, Tadeusz remained with his mother and three surviving siblings until April 1942. At that time, his mother was sent to work on a State Farm in Uzbekistan. Lodzia joined the Polish 2nd Corps Women’s Auxiliary, while Karol and Tadeusz joined the Polish 2nd Corps Cadets called the Junaks. Julius, being too young for the cadets, was sent to an orphanage in Jamnagar, India.

Tadeusz and Karol spent months training with the Junaks until Karol fell ill with dysentery and died in Tehran in 1942 – he was 12 years old. Tadeusz also had dysentery but recovered in hospital. Too weak to rejoin the Junaks, he was then sent to an orphanage in Isfahan where he was able to complete Grade 5. From here, the entire orphanage was transported to the Persian Gulf and sailed aboard the Dunera for Port Elizabeth, South Africa. All 500 children then travelled to the Polish Orphanage in Oudtshoorn where Tadeusz stayed for one year. They were treated well and ate mostly ostrich meat and ostrich eggs. Tadeusz attended Mechanical School while there. Once his mother was in a refugee camp in Tengeru, Tanzania, Tadeusz was sent to join her and Julius who had also been reunited with his mother after spending two years in India.

Life in the camp was a happy time; it was like a typical Polish community. Contrary to today’s refugee camps around the world, the Polish refugee camps were equipped with schools – elementary, middle school, high school, and a technical school; a YMCA with sports and recreational facilities and a reasonable library; a cinema covered by a roof on stilts but without walls; and an open-air theatre. There was a co-op bakery, and a co-op store sold a modest supply of sundries along with foodstuffs from the settlement’s impressive farm.

There were 4,000 Polish refugees living in Tengeru, most of them children. Tadeusz remained there for four years until 1948 when he, his mother and brother sailed to England aboard the SS Winchester Castle. They settled in a Polish hostel in Marsworth, England where Tadeusz worked at various jobs: picking potatoes, working construction, and finally in a lipstick factory. Tadeusz lived in Marsworth for five years.

He left England at the age of 26 aboard the Columbia on 16 May 1954, bound for Canada. In Windsor, Ontario, he was reunited with his mother, sister Lodzia and her husband, as well as his younger brother Julius. Tadeusz loved Canada but always remained a proud Pole. He married Jadwiga and had four children: Ann, Yolanda, Chris, and Mark.

Tadeusz passed away in Windsor on 5 September 2019 at the age of 91 years. He was buried at the Heavenly Rest Cemetery.

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Julius Stanczuk was born in 1932, to Antoni Stanczak and Pelagia (nee Chudzynska) in the Puzieniewicze military settlement, 75kms west of Minsk. He was the fourth of five children and had one sister named Lodzia and three brothers, Tadeusz, Karol, and Jan.

Julius had a happy childhood in Poland until September 1939 when his father was taken prisoner by the Russians. He was later deported to Siberia with his mother and four siblings. Surviving the labour camp in Siberia, Julius remained with his mother until April 1942. At this time, he was surrendered to the care of an orphanage while his mother was sent to work on a collective farm in Uzbekistan, and his three surviving siblings joined the Cadets of the Polish 2nd Corps.

Julius spent a brief period in an orphanage in Mashhad, Iran along with many other Polish children. Then he was moved to a a Polish refugee camp in Jamnagar, India. Julius was ten years old. Although the facilities were basic and the orphans had to sleep on the floor, they were clean, warm, well fed and cared for. They even received a Polish education.

After two years Julius was reunited with his mother in the Polish refugee camp in Tengeru Africa. They remained there until 1948 when he, his mother and brother Tadeusz relocated to England where they were sent to the Marsworth Hostel. Julius remained there for two and a half years. He worked at several jobs, picking tomatoes, in a laundry, and a clock factory. He was also a member of the Marsworth Hostel football team.

On 4 December 1951 Julius and his mother left England for Halifax, Nova Scotia. They then travelled by train to Windsor, Ontario where they were reunited with his older sister Lodzia and her husband. Julius married Bernice (nee Konias) and raised four children together.

Professionally, Julius learned to be a draftsman, and led the Design Group at Center Tool & Mold, and became a part owner of that successful company.

Julius was an active member of the Windsor community, coaching sports and leading Scouts. He was also involved in the local Polish community and was very proud to have served on the original Polonia Park board of Directors.

Julius passed away in Windsor on 5 May 2021 at 89 years of age. He was buried at the Heavenly Rest Cemetery.