Description
Object description
Polish officer served with 48th Regt Polish Army in Poland and Hungary, 1934-1940; served with Polish Independent Carpathian Brigade in Middle East and North Africa, 1940-1942; survived sinking of RMS Empress of Canada in Atlantic, 13/3/1943; served with Royal Air Force in GB, 1943-1947
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Poland and Austria, 1913-1939: work of father; details of Hutsul population in Kolomja; memories of First World War in Austria including service of father with Austro-Hungary; education; interest in sport including period as ski instructor; history of area grew up in; university education; call-up to military service. Aspects of period as officer with 48th Regiment Polish Army in Poland, 1934-1939: posting with 48th Regiment in Stanyslaviv including duties and threats from outside forces; leisure activities; details of Jewish population; build-up to war; reaction to Munich Agreement; state of Polish Army, summer 1939; morale; details of posting in Lavochnoye, early 1939, including contact and relationship with Hungarian army officers; activity on Polish-German border; details of company formed to defend Poland; weather during summer 1939; posting to Hungarian border at Zabie.
REEL 2 Continues: German invasion of Poland and question of betrayal by west; news of Russian invasion and orders given; march to Vorokhta; breakfast and rendezvous with other units. Aspects of period as officer with 48th Regiment Polish Army in Hungary, 1939-1940: journey into Hungary including morale and troops staying in Poland; accommodation in Vasarosnameny; relationship with Hungarian troops; freedom of movement; exchange rate; visit from girlfriend and story of her escape from Poland; accommodation given to girlfriend; leisure activities including contact with family; discussions about joining fight in France; marriage; movement of army west; visits from German agent. Aspects of journey from Vasarosnameny, Hungary, to Beirut, Lebanon, 4/1940-5/1940: train journey to Budapest; visit to Polish Embassy; accommodation; train journey to Yugoslav border; removal from train and interview; crossing of Drava River into Yugoslavia; march to farm; journey to nearest station; disembarkation of group; train journey to Zagreb; stay in hotel outside Zagreb and help received during journey; train journey to Belgrade; stay outside Belgrade; train journey to Athens including scenes from train; activities in Athens; voyage to Beirut including problems with seasickness. Aspects of period as officer with Polish Independent Carpathian Brigade in Middle East, 1940-1941: rations; posting to Homs; accommodation; knowledge of destination during journey to Lebanon; formation of unit; problems with mules; change within government in Syria; gathering of friendly forces and evacuation from Syria; stay on Lake Tiberius in Palestine.
REEL 3 Continues: problem with scorpions; rations; reunion with friend; journey to and opinion of Latrun; training and uniforms issued; details of pay; motorbike bought; news of war in Europe; posting to Egypt; size and opinion of brigade; overabundance of officers; posting at Agami; guard duties and air raids; voyage aboard Destroyer to Tobruk. Aspects of operations as officer with Polish Independent Carpathian Brigade in North Africa, 1941-1942: fire faced on arrival in port; frontline positions; details of night patrols including story of diving on mine; differences between Italian and German troops; story of officer penetrating Axis lines; quiet period in evenings; duties and rank; role of brother; recovery of corpses from No Man's Land; weapons used by company including adaptation of Axis weapons; opposition fire faced; story of Italian sergeant and other POWs captured; nationalities among Allied troops; breakout and opposition faced; story of wounding at Gazala; description of shelling at Tobruk; reactions of brother to shelling; object of breakout and attack on Gazala Line; details of attack on Italians at Gazala; evacuation to Suez after wounding; hospitalisation; joining of Polish Air Force at Heliopolis; postings in Middle East; arrival of Polish troops from Russia; organisation of troops into Polish 2nd Corps.
REEL 4 Continues: medical on joining air force. Aspects of journey from Basra, Iraq, to Liverpool, GB, 1942-1943: voyage to Karachi; learning of English during stay in Karachi including languages spoken; reasons for wanting to join air force; start of voyage to GB; details of MV Devonshire; route taken to Durban; activities during stay in Durban; boarding of RMS Empress of Canada; route taken toward Takoradi; story of being torpedoed, 13/3/1943; involvement in organising evacuation from ship; problems faced during evacuation; final check of decks; jump into sea and swim to lifeboat; sinking of ship; surfacing of Italian submarine and talk with crew; boarding of lifeboat; scenes from lifeboat, 14/3/1943; air activity; arrival and boarding of Destroyer; rations in lifeboat; commander and population of lifeboat; second night on ocean; reception on Destroyer; voyage to and accommodation in Freetown; inoculations received; casualties from sinking of Empress of Canada including scenes of Italians survivors; voyage aboard RMS Mauretania to Liverpool; first impressions of Britain. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Air Force in GB, 1943-1947: impressions of Blackpool; buying of uniform; posting to Torquay; pattern of training; impressions of Britain; details of training course; leisure activities; contact with wife in Hungary; posting to RAF Hucknall; flying of de Havilland Tiger Moth; memories of instructors; opinion of training; flying of Airspeed Oxford.
REEL 5 Continues: period at Staff Pilot's School in Cark; proficiency with English language; pattern of training; posting in Dumfries and duties; discipline of Polish airmen; completion of training; end of war; joining and role of National Assistance Board; service with Royal Air Force after war. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1947: joining of Polish Settlement Corps; work gained with National Assistance Board; background to wife's arrival in Britain; reunion with wife; settling back into married life; details of wife's time in Hungary and Poland; family; problems within Polish community in Britain following Second World War; reasons for not wanting to return to Kolomja; awards received.
