Hello, I hope someone may be able to point me in the right direction with my family quest? My Dad was taken from his home in Stryi in 1942 to a forced labour camp in what is now Lebork. He escaped from there in 1945 and made his way back to Stryi. However by this time the family had left and relocated to what is now southern Poland. Dad joined the Polish 11 corps, and made his way through Egypt and Italy and worked as a sapper rebuilding roads. From his military record I know he came to the UK in 1947. What I want to know is that journey from Stryi to Italy? For example, where did he enlist? Where did his journey take him (via cities/countries)? Sadly, my Dad passed away in 1968 when I was two years old, so I was never able to ask him myself. Many thanks in advance for any information.
The date of your Dad's escape from the labor camp doesn't seem to be accurate. Lębork was liberated in March of 1945 and by that time Stryj was already annexed to Ukrainian SSR. While I can imagine that people could possibly travel east behind the Russian front there would be no easy way out of Soviet Union in 1945.
Also it wasn't "Polish 11 corps", but Polish second corps or Drugi Korpus WP. That military unit was formed in 1943 and was transferred to Italy in February 1944.
where they fought the famous battle of Monte Cassino in May 1944. Most Poles of military age who were in Soviet Union enlisted to the military and were evacuated via ships through the Kaspian Sea to Persia/Iran and from there fought in the Near East (Egypt, Libya) and then in Italy and other western fronts.
I bet your Dad escaped from the labor camp in 1942 or early 1943.
Hello, and many thanks for your message. My apologies, regards 'Polish 11 corps', I did mean 'Polish II corps' :). We have in our possession the postcards and letters that Dad wrote to his family, back in Poland - whilst in Lębork. He was taken from Stryi in August 1942, and the last (incarcerated) letter we received was early 1945.
Your information regarding the journey to Italy is very welcome. Thank you.
