Sobolewski, Stanisław Franciszek (Oral history)

Polish cadet with 40th (Lwów) Infantry Regiment in Poland, 1939; POW in Russia, 1939-1941; officer served with 6th (Lwów) Regiment in Russia, Middle East and Italy, 1941-1945.

REEL 1 Background in Poland, 1921-1939: family; education. Aspects of operations as cadet with 40th (Lwów) Infantry Regiment in Poland, 1939: start of German attack, 1 September 1939; move to Lwów, 12/9/1939; surrender of Lwow to Russians, 24/9/1939; attempt to walk to Romania, 9/1939; his interception by the Soviets at Tarnopol. Recollections of period as POW in Russia, 1939-1941: his arrival in camp at Voloczisk; character of train journey to Klanovka; overcrowded POW accommodation; removal of Polish POWs to Kozielsk, 11/1939; digging graves for Katyn massacre. REEL 2 Continues: fate of officer POWs in Kozielsk camp; ration of salt fish at Kozielsk; Polish doctors treatment of frost bitten Russian troops from Finnish Front, winter 1939-1940; removal from camp prior to Katyn massacre; his personal survival strategy; removal to camp at Rowno; supply of eggs he received from Dr Cohen; his work in kitchen of work camp; duties building airfield; start of German attack, 22/6/1941; move to Sborov to escape German advance, 23/6/1941; German attacks on Sborov, 23/6/1941. REEL 3 Continues: behaviour of NKVD guards towards Polish POWs, 6/1941; retreat to Starobielsk; no water punishment at Starobielsk. Aspects of period as cadet with 6th (Lwów) Regiment, Polish Army in the Soviet Union, Persia, Iraq and Palestine, 1941-1944: move to Polish Army camp at Totskoye; improvised method of heating tents at Totskoye, winter 1941-1942; move to Uzbekistan, 2/1942; state of health of Polish troops in Uzbekistan; contracting typhoid and his recovery; journey from Uzbekistan to Caspian Sea; voyage across Caspian Sea to Pahlevi, Persia; contrast between Russian and Persia. REEL 4 Continues: story of food shortages in Russia; kitting out by the British Army; training in Iraq and Palestine; guarding oil fields; armoured role of his unit. Recollections of operations as officer with 6th (Children of Lwów) Armoured Regiment, 2nd "Warsaw" Armoured Division, 2nd Polish Corps, 1944-1945: move to Taranto, Easter 1944; how Sherman tanks performed against German 88mm guns at Piedimonte San Germano; German units faced and his attitude towards them; contrast between single and married troops towards being in action; treatment of German POWs. REEL 5 Continues: fate of Piedimonte as result of battle; transfer to Adriatic coast; question of suitability of Italian terrain for armour; question of error in extending tank tracks in mistaken anticipation of soft terrain during Bologna campaign, spring 1945; sight of mass killing of German airborne troops at Bologna, 4/1945-5/1945; contact with Jewish Brigade; story of disruption caused by mutiny of Greek troops in Alexandria, Egypt, Easter 1944. Attitude towards Yalta Agreement and reason for choosing to go to GB