My polish mother, her mother and her father (not sure) arrived in the UK around 1940. I do not know exactly where. Do you know if there is a polish association in the UK that can hold records of the polish community around 1940?
Did you ever herad for Slavic regiment in battle of Guadel Canal?
Somebody has ancestors who served on Japanese front in WWII?
I can share with you experience of my Serbian family...I believe story is in connection (let`s say) with topic...
Brother of my grandfather served as Canadian soldier on Japanese front in WWII. He experienced battle for Guadel Canal. It was great battle where many Slavs died.
He was member of Slavic regiment which was consisted mostly from Poles and from one number of Serbs and other Slavs.
Verbal tradition of my family preserved memory on hard moments of battle for Guadel Canal...from the point of view of Slavic regiment...
By words of brother of my grandfather, all officers in regiment were of English origin.
Invasion on Japanese positions started... Slavic regiment was sent as first line. Wind was strong on the see and regiment arrives in boats, on the coast. Ships stayed far on the see...
Japanese artillery start their wild bombardment...English officers ordered `attack` and Slavic regiment advanced deeper in direction of enemy...
Artillery killed many soldiers, it was massacre. In one moment, Slavic soldiers become aware that there are no their English officers with them...so, one older Polish soldier (he didn't survive) takes responsibility for command and he ordered immediate withdrew.
But, it was difficult to withdraw, when that what was left from regiment was attacked from Japanese fanatics- infantry. It was knife vs. knife, in one moment.
Somehow, regiment comes back on coast and when soldiers start to enter into boats, Japanese artillery begins to bombard coast again. As respond, for `support` to regiment- artillery from their own ships start to bombard Japanese positions. Many soldiers died from friendly fire...
It was real hell down there...soldiers under heavy fire walked across heads and bodies of their dead (or even alive) friends who floated on the surface of see. Brother of my grandfather lost conciseness when he almost reached ship. One soldier- Pole from his regiment saved him taking him for his heir.
From 1000 soldiers in that Slavic regiment, less then 50 survived. Among them was brother of my grandfather...he said `thank you` to his Polish savior and in respond Pole said to him `Say thank to those on which heads we needed to walk, to survive...`
Nobody ever, mentioned English officers who disappeared from the first line.
Just think to myself...
Some of those officers maybe even today sit somewhere and speak about evil Serbs, speak `good` jokes about Poles, speak about drunken and crazy Russians...
They probably say...`ah, those # Slavs...`
What's the point of story?
Well, ...
Maybe soon, when NATO finish with Serbian question on Kosovo and Metohija and, deliver about 1/5 of Serbian territory to non-Slavic Albanians; Serbia `finally` become member of NATO and maybe some future Poles and Serbs come in situation to serve together under command of English officers...
Slavs aren't popular on so called `West`...so, just try to stay alive...
