Milczarek, Hilary 'Alec' (Oral history)

Polish civilian deported to Russia, 1940-1942; served with Polish Army in Uzbekistan and Persia, 1942.

REEL 1 Background in Dąbrowica area, Poland, 1925- 1939: family; education; father's military service against Russia, c1920; character of family farm; education in Pinsk until 1939. Recollections of Russian occupation of Poland, 9/1939-2/1940: initial impact of occupation; question of changing relationship between Poles and Ukrainians, after 9/1939; nature of deportation from Poland to Soviet Gulag, 10/2/1940. Recollections of deportation to Russia, 1940-1941: story of Beria arriving to see Polish deportees; arrival in Archangelskaya Oblast. REEL 2 Continues: coping with cold weather in Archangel area; character of work; problem of mosquitoes, summer 1940; family living conditions; job as assistant to foreman; presence of NKVD; story of how denying warmth to NKVD man forced him to cancel work for the day; use of felt boots and his business repairing them, 1941. Recollections of journey to Uzbekistan, 1941-1942: obstructions placed in the path of Poles freed after Polish-Russian agreement; wait at Ilinsk during journey to Kotlas, winter 1941-1942; character of train journey south; arrival at Tashkent; selling his skates for food; aid he gave to Jewish family; story of being thrown out of restaurant in Tashkent. REEL 3 Continues: negotiating hazards of Russian railway system; arrival at Grunch Mazar; discovery of wagon-load of starving Russian prisoners at Sverdlovsk; death of mother at Sverdlovsk; work on state cotton farm, near Grunch Mazar; problems of working with cotton; hearing news of Polish mission at Andizhan and ensuing journey there; discovery that Polish Army was being formed; second journey to Andizhan; exploits as record salesman; attempt of NKVD to check train to Andizhan and how he obtained protection of VIP being evacuated from Moscow, 1942. REEL 4 Continues: Period with Polish Army in Uzbekistan, Persia and Iraq, 1942-1943: joining army at Jalalabad, spring 1942; march to Susak; refusal of Poles to fight on Russian front, 1942; journey to Persia via Krasnovodsk on Caspian Sea; death of sister from typhus; reaction to sight of goods at Pahlevi, Persia; move to Khanikin, Iraq, 8/1942; further move to Kirleuk; training as driver-mechanic; hospitalisation for illness; move to Syria, Palestine and Egypt. Period with 15th Battalion, 5 Brigade, 2nd Polish Corps in Italy, 1944-1945: move to Campo Lieto, 2/1944; move into front-line; advance towards Ancona and Bologna; question of impossibility to return to Poland. Aspects of period of deportee in Russia, 1940-1941: premonition he had that he would go to GB; sight of snakes. REEL 5 Continues: character of Communist propaganda; initial impressions of Russia; interruptions to food rations; possessions Poles took with them into camps; layout of house interiors in Russian north.