Zdzislaw Franczyk

Zdzislaw was born March 27, 1926, Zdzislaw was a veteran of the Polish 2nd Corps, British 8th Army.

He and his family were imprisoned in labour camps in the Siberian Gulags at the start of the Second World War and in 1941, after surviving nearly two years in the camp, were provided amnesty through a negotiated settlement by the Allies.

Upon landing in Pahlavi, Persia, at age 16 he joined the Polish 2nd Corps in the Polish 4th Armoured Regiment "Skorpion". Under the leadership of General Wladyslaw Anders, Zdzislaw served in Persia, Afghanistan, Iraq, and North Africa before engaging in the battle for Rome at Monte Cassino, Italy. Zdzislaw was wounded severely during one battle, but returned to the battles and completed his duties while fighting in Bologna Italy.

Zdzislaw moved to England after the war and was reunited with his mother and siblings in 1949 – they had spent the war years in Masindi, Uganda.

Soon after, they immigrated to Canada, landing in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. The family later moved to Winnipeg where he married Kazimiera Dynowska, a bond that lasted 55 years. He worked in the upholstery business until his retirement. Zdzislaw passed away on October 13, 2014.

(See Czeslaw Franczyk memoir for more family details)