Dad's journey Poland - England 1939

Dad's journey Poland - England 1939 - 1945

Stan Krawczyk • 19 November 2019

A long journey from Poland to England

My father joined the Polish Border Guard in 1932 then the Polish Carpathian Lancers 1939, went on to fight in the North African campaigns, Palestine, Egypt, Tobruk , El Alemein, in the II Polish Corps, finally he was severely injured during the bloody battle of Monte Cassino in Italy.

My fathers life history (taken from his own notes)

Born in Poland, Brzeg
1917 Started school
1926 Asynk High school in Kalisz
1932 Joined the Army and served over 2 years in Second Uhlan Cavalry Lancers based in Suwalki Poland
1935 Discharged from army and civilian again (presume it was his national service) attended Asynk School again in Kalisz. (Dad apparently wanted to be a teacher)
1938 Re-called to Army ready for impending War.
1939 On 24th September his regiment (Karpathian Lancers) crossed the border to Hungary and Kisbodak Camp.
1939 November 1939 he was ready again to move to another location called Baia in Romania then 4 weeks later crossed the border to Yugoslavia. 6 or 7 weeks later crossed the border to Bulgaria then by train to Istanbul, Turkey.
1941 From Turkey by train to Syria Allepo, then onto Homs.
1941 1st March 1941 once again with army pass through French Capitulations.
1941 June 1941 his Brigade crossed to Palestine onto Camp Latrun. Following this Egypt outside Alexandria place called Mex. By Ship down the Suez Canal to Tobruk where his Regiment the Karpathian Lancers journey to Cairo and Mena Camp outside the Pyramids.
1943 The whole Brigade move to Palestine and Iraq, joined by soldiers from Russia and this became the II Corps unit. Then onto Egypt and Italy.
1943 Italy he was wounded twice.
1944 18th May 1944 he took part in the bloody battle for Monte Cassino and that was to be his last, being severely injured with Shrapnel deep in his chest. The Italian Military hospital surgeons could not remove it being too dangerously close to his heart. He also had a punctured lung and shrapnel in his right hand.
1945 He sailed from Italy on a Red Cross ship to Scotland (probably Kilearn Hospital, near Glasgow) arriving 15th May 1945.
1945 Then Whitchurch Hospital Hermitage Camp near Newbury.
1949 Oak Lodge Camp, near Havant, Portsmouth leaving 12th July 1949.
1949 13th July 1949 Remploy Factory Radcliffe Lancashire, where he worked as a furniture inspector and stayed in the Hostel there until 2nd May 1966.
1966 3rd May 1966 lived at the our family home he purchased until he passed away in 1995.

(He did write up his experiences but that is something which is going to take time to translate, but I hope to do it)

I am impressed he survived for so long with such serious injuries? I would say his personality and determination probably helped him? He was always smiling and very friendly.

I was sad to read one of his letters to his brothers in Kalisz saying how very lonely he was and seemed he was drinking too much. I suppose in that environment, other than going to the Polish clubs for dances or the Cinema there was little to do, except maybe trips out and photography.

He had a valid military drivers license but never owned a car.

I have found many post cards from his travels around the UK, such as Scotland, the Lakes and he loved Chester. I have tended to follow his places, Chester, Lakes and Scotland (is my second home!)

He once told me a Scorpion bit him in the desert also which can't have been much fun, but God was looking after him.

I also remember a story in Italy if it wasn't for an Italian nurse giving him a blood transfusion he would probably not be here, due to the amount of blood loss. Might explain my love of Italian food then haha.

He was processed at the Witley Camp Godalming Surrey.

There is en entry for 411 Basic Unit PRC Oulton Park Camp, Nr Tarporley, Cheshire but he does not mention that in his notes?

I have to be completely honest its been a double edged sword finding things out like this. Its good for me to know I have captured everything but reading personal letters is very upsetting especially since mum and dad never complained about anything yet in reality they both had their own pain and suffering. I don't ever remember seeing my mum and dad argue in fact ever!

Because he was injured in his hand, it was difficult for him to write so he typed most things on an old German Typewriter (I still have), fortunately for me, because I don't practise Polish writing, it takes me a while to decipher things.

Reading his and mums letters I found myself having to stop and wipe the tears off the laptop keyboard, (yes I am a grown man and not one to weep at the slightest thing but its life and we have to deal with it.)

Not really knowing much about his life before he married my mum, it opened up new insights (other than the War) and no doubt I will find other information but the whole point of this website is to remember how life was for these people, who arrived here with nothing but the shirts on their back, injured, exhausted and alone but continued the Polish way of life and traditions whilst integrating into English life and the Poles are very good at making good from nothing they hard work and are determined, or stubborn in my case.

I will update this post as I find out more information but in reality there is a whole book in the making.

Second Uhlan Cavalry Lancers Suwalki - Click here Polish Carpathian Lancers - Click Here