Missing Persons

'An English lady is appealing for help on behalf of a very elderly friend - the gentleman wonders if anyone recognises this Polish soldier, whom he knew in England after the war. He has often thought about him, and now he is anxious to find out how he fared in later life. Unfortunately, with the passing of so many years, he can no longer remember his old friend's name - he believes he was in the Carpathian Rifles...can you help, please, before it is too late?
He would be truly grateful for any news, however little - thank you!'

KRYSTYNA'S STORY

In January, 2001, my husband had an e-mail from a Polish lady in Canada, Krystyna Kruczek. She had seen his website, 'Cheshire Churches' and asked if he could add a picture of the Roman Catholic church in Nantwich (our local market town in South Cheshire) as her Polish parents were married there in March, 1948; because her mother was very ill she wanted to give her parents the picture for their wedding anniversary.

My husband took a photo and put it on his website and I went to see the Priest to ask if I might take a picture inside the church; he agreed but said the altar had been replaced, so he kindly gave me a booklet he had written himself, which had a picture of the old altar - and inscribed the flyleaf with a blessing for the couple. I bought some little lavender items for Krys' poorly mother, a book and some postcards about Nantwich and posted them with the booklet - sadly, the parcel never arrived.

The next we heard, in July, 2002, Krys wrote to say her mother had died - and she had had a great shock as her 'father' revealed he was not her birth father...she was devastated, sad - and bitter that her mother had not told her the truth before she died. Her real father was another soldier in the same Polish Resettlement Camp in Brandon, Suffolk. Her 'father' refuses to tell her his name (no doubt painful memories of a troubled time).

Krys' mother was in the Polish A.T.S. in the Camp in Brandon, together with the two soldiers significant to this story;she became pregnant by one - and maybe because of this she was sent up to a small airfield at Wardle (or Calveley), near Nantwich in South Cheshire. Krys thinks the soldier was sent back to Poland - he was probably married, in the one photo she has of him he looks a lot older than her mother, who was 21 at the time. *Since writing this, Krys has found & e-mailed more photos.

In March, 1948, she was married to the other Polish soldier, a forester in the Brandon Camp, in the R.C. Church in Nantwich, only a few miles from Wardle. The couple must have returned to Brandon as Krystyna was born in Osborne Nursing Home in Thetford, Norfolk (just over the border from Suffolk) on June 20th, 1948. The family emigrated to Canada on the R.M.S Aquitania in 1949.

Thus began the long quest to discover the name of Krys' birth father.

From the Chester Record Office, my husband & I obtained a report of the wedding in Nantwich, in the local paper of the time. I got a copy of her birth certificate from Thetford, and a copy of the marriage certificate from Crewe (nearest Registrar's to Nantwich) - all of which we sent to Krys, although she kindly let me keep copies which I have put on my laptop.

I went to the Polish Centre in Crewe in April, 2009 - there has been a large Polish community here since the war (there was a big camp at Doddington nearby) and it has increased to nearly 7000 with the recent influx - I wondered if any of the elderly Poles might recognise either or both of the names of the Polish witnesses. So far have heard nothing, the Polish Club has shut (strange because the old post-war Polish community has increased so much) - nor via the Crewe R.C. Priest, whom I contacted in the hope he could speak to the Polish priest, who shares the church (and speaks little English, despite being here for years!). No success.

I found a local lady councillor who was born near the Calveley airfield and has photos of the Polish children there - she said she would talk to the older Poles who still live around there, to see if they recognised Krys' mother from the photo I e-mailed her (not that that would help find the name of her father, of course).No luck.

I also contacted a chap who has a website called 'Brandon at War' & he put me in touch with a lady at the Brandon Heritage Centre: she knows there are still Polish folk in the area, so promised to take the photo of Krys' mother + the soldier who fathered her, to see if anyone could help. The same gentleman also gave me the contact name of the editor of the Brandon local newspaper,but despite 2 e-mails, I have had no reply. I hoped she might put the story, plus photo (which I e-mailed her) in her paper...so no progress.

We have no doubt Krys' birth father will no longer be alive, judging by a guess at his age in the photo of 1948, but I think, even if she just knew his name, it would help fill a great gap for her. She has become a good friend now - and is kind enough to say that, even if we never reach a conclusion to her search, our friendship is a blessing!

Since that, I managed to communicate with a very nice, helpful gentleman, Nigel Dixon, an assistant to the Defence Attaché at the British Embassy in Warsaw - he has a son with a Polish lady. He recognised the uniform of Krys' father - the Carpathian Rifles; he was to attend a Veterans' meeting soon, & would take the photo to see if anyone recognised the soldier in the photo (of course, minus the ladies in the original photo).

He subsequently attended the Veterans' Meeting - & Krys' story, plus photo of her birth father appeared in the quarterly publication of the Carpathian Brigade. We waited in hope, to see if anyone could put a name to him...** see below.

Krys told me the names of her relatives – including her mother, who thankfully survived, are on the Kresy-Siberia 'Virtual' Memorial Wall. She has an idea that her relatives, deported with thousands of others by the Russians from Eastern Poland to Siberia, must have reached Persia at some time & presumably died there (see below).

I had not known of the mass deportations from Eastern Poland to Siberia, by the Russians, and the horrors inflicted on the people, thousands of whom died in unimaginable circumstances. Some were able to flee to Persia (as it was then - including some of Krys' relatives), some to India or England, & thence to Canada, etc.

I learned about this from a book “Straws in the Wind”, the true story of a boy & his family, who endured such suffering, went to India and finally, after many years, reached England.

This was recommended to me by a Polish chap in Brandon, with whom I was put in touch by a lady parish councillor. It transpired he, & his siblings, were born in the very same nursing home as Krys in Thetford, in Norfolk, just over the Suffolk county border (indeed one of his sisters is Krystyna!) There are still a number of Poles in the area.

Unfortunately, Victor (Viktor)does not have a computer, so we talk on the 'phone; he arranged for someone to scan & e-mail me the 2 photographs he has of Osborne Nursing Home – only the front doorway, but I forwarded them to Krys, who replied immediately, saying she cried when she saw where she was born. (On her birth certificate, Osborne lacks the 'e', but as we live in 'Osborne Grove' I feel sure it will have been named after Victoria & Albert's home on the Isle of Wight).

I tried various sources – e.g. Thetford Town Council – to ask if there are any archive photos. or even if the place is still standing; if so, I would be grateful if someone could take a couple of photos. for which I would gladly pay, & e-mail them to me. Answer – cannot help.

However, after that I was contacted by Radio Norfolk, asking if I would like to tell Krys' story & appeal for a photo of the Nursing Home ( I had contacted the library, by devious means, & they found the person who dealt with archive pictures & they told Radio Norfolk!). So I did, very nervously! - & within minutes, before the end of the programme, a chap rang in to say he had written a history of Thetford, it includes a couple of photos of the Nursing Home, and he will send them to me - he has now sent me one, which I have e-mailed to Krys (it is now a private house).

I found where Krys could obtain the service records of her 'Father' & Mother – M.O.D. A.P.C. Polish Enquiries, R.A.F. Northolt, Ruislip, Middlesex (the helpful Barbara Kroll) – so she completed the requisite forms and sent them off.

I have tried the 'Polish Daily' newspaper, published in Britain & widely read, to ask if they might publish Krys' story, together with the photo.of her birth father - initial positive response but nothing further, despite several attempts on my part to elicit a reply. I have tried so many other sources, all in vain - most don't reply.

** Nigel Dixon, together with the help of his good friend in Warsaw, Witek Opertowski (who has worked there since the early 1970's and is an M.B.E.) achieved what initially seemed to be a miracle - a Veteran got in contact after the photo. was published in their quarterly magazine, to say he recognised the soldier in the photo. and gave a name...Adam Boryczko, now dead. When I had the e-mail with the name I

rang Krys, I was so excited! However, we felt we ought to wait till we could be sure. It turned out that his biographical details (in a book about him) do not tally

At that point, everything was 'on hold' - Nigel Dixon was posted back to the U.K. and Krys' father, now 88, was very unwell, suffering nightmares and haunted by flashbacks to the war...she and the family were involved with medical experts and carers trying to sort out treatment & care for him.

In October 2010 - I received an e-mail from Krys, together with a photo of Adam Boryczko she had obtained from another source - he looked very different from the picture she has of her birth father - and which the Veteran in Poland said he recognised. I found a site on the Internet, which specialises in facial imagery, so have e-mailed the 2 pictures for comparison & analysis, however, the cost is far too much, so I have not pursued it.

In November: I found 3 nice Polish lasses, working as waitresses at a restaurant in Nantwich, while studying - one, Agata, whom I haven't met yet, has exchanged e-mails with me and now has all the documents + photos. When I said my only chance now of finding Krys' birth father seems to be to get his picture (minus the ladies, of course) published in the Polish press, she said she could do that, & contact a television programme that aims to find people!

Unfortunately (July, 2011) this hasn't happened.

I also e-mailed Nigel Dixon's Polish colleague & friend in Warsaw, Witek Opertowski (he has worked for the Ministry of Defence part of the British Embassy, Warsaw, since 1971) - I asked him if he could possibly get the picture of Krys' birth father published in a national newspaper in Poland - again, no reply.

March, 2011 - I contacted the Polish Cultural Institute in London (I had actually contacted them last June) - I spoke to an 'intern' who said they would 'get back' to me.

Monday, May 9th - rang the Polish Cultural Institute again, having had no response to the 2 e-mails & 'phone message I left for the Deputy Director some weeks ago.

Spoke to the Executive Secretary - sent everything again - await result...

Most recently, I e-mailed a gentleman, Keith - a military man - whose name I saw quite a while ago in the column by Monica Porter, published weekly in the 'Daily Mail'. He helps research lost relatives or friends; he recommended I e-mail Monica Porter, but it seems she only features the stories in her column, she does no research herself, so that was no good.

I have e-mailed Keith again, and he is thinking what I can try next! He knows some people who have a Polish workforce, so he has kindly said he will send them everything.

May 16th: rang the Polish Cultural Institute - the lady to whom I had spoken was not there, but the person who answered said they could not help.

Found the number for the Polish Embassy on their website - rang, and was eventually transferred to the Consular Section, and a lady, Hanna Zaborowska, who is deputising for her husband, Jakub, a Consul, but has had a 'heart-attack' (thankfully he is better now) She was absolutely lovely - patiently listened to my account of the quest on behalf of Krys, and says she will do everything in her, and her contacts' powers, to help...

Hanna has been working really hard - even getting in touch with the person in Poland who had communicated with Nigel Dixon & Witek Opertowski about the identification of the soldier in the photo - Krys' birth father - as Adam Boryczko. It is certain that he is not Krys' father.

Hanna is determined to continue the quest, and has many contacts she can use.

Krys' 'father' - now 89 - remains in a distressed state, suffering nightmares flashbacks to the war & haunted by terrible memories, particularly of the battle of Falaise Gap - he sees bodies and hears men crying out for help. General Eisenhower recorded his impressions after a visit to the site - he said it was a vision of Hell, you walked hundreds of yards over human remains. Small wonder that Jozef suffers so in his mind...

June 4th, 2011: I have just spoken to Roman Zielski, a cousin to Krys on the maternal side. He is very pleased to hear about her - the families lost touch in the early 1980's, not intentionally. I entered his name in 'Google' & up came his business website. I have rung Krys - and given her his 'phone number & e-mail address.

June: e-mail from Krys - she has found her christening certificate; it is very fragile, in Polish, dated July 18th 1948 - she was christened in the Camp in Brandon; there is a stamp - Hodgemoor Camp (near Amersham, Bucks.) at the end of the certificate. She has no idea where that was, or what the connection is - it seems it was a necessary formality.

Agata Marciewicz has kindly translated it for us.

I 'Googled' the Camp, e-mailed the Manager, sent him all the info. I have, rang him next day and he gave me the 'phone number of a lady, Basia Lentowicz),

July: I have been in touch with Basia.

Krys has sent me the wedding picture of Alfreda, her (pregnant) mother to Jozef Kruczek, on March 19th, 1948 (her 22nd birthday) in St. Anne's R.C. Church, Nantwich, S. Cheshire. She believes the man behind the couple is her birth father...

Krys had this photo enlarged and gave it to her parents ( as she believed Jozef to be) for their 25th wedding anniversary - whereupon, her mother became upset and would not look at it. The man's image was subsequently removed (it was before 'air-brushing')and the picture re-framed. At the time, Krys had no idea why....

Krys has recently found her baptismal certificate (very fragile) in Polish. It has been translated (by Hanna & Agata). She was baptised in the Camp in Brandon : initial question re stamp at end - Hodgemoor Camp - solved, partly by Hanna's translation of the stamp, and finding that Hodgemoor Camp was the Combined Headquarters

Now - a further puzzle: Krys has sent photographs: a group of foresters, including Jozef; a picture of her mother, Alfreda and her friend, in uniform, with her birth father; a group of men, in deep snow (? severe winter of 1947) - in which her birth father & Jozef both seem to appear (she has put coloured dots on them); and a picture of her on her 'father's' knee (I.e. Jozef, not her real father, as it turned out).

Victor Lukaniuk has commented on the photos. - he is sure the picture of the men in the snow is not in Brandon Camp (the Nissan Hut is not the same) - also, the landscape behind the 2 women + Krys' birth father does not look like the Suffolk countryside.

I have sent David Osborne in Thetford the pictures, to show to his elderly Polish friend, Stefan, to see if he recognises anyone. Stefan is 89 & was a Forester.

Head of ministry (pastoral office)

Based on a birth and baptism book Gr. PKPR Eastce, part 2, page 42,
it's certified that on 20th June 1948 in Thetford, county Norfolk, was born and
on 18th July 1948 in camp chapel in Brandon, London Road,Camp, county Suffolk, according to the rite of Roman Catholic, was baptised

Name of the baby: Krystyna

Father ( name, religion, date and place of birth): Józef Kruczek, Roman Catholic, 22.04.1922, Jab?onów, district Kopyczyce, province Tarnopol
Mother ( maiden name, religion, date and place birth): Alfreda Zielska, Roman Catholic, 19.03.1926, Jaz?owiec, district Równe, province Wo?y?
God parents: Eugenia Bo?ek, Karol Dziuk
Baptised by: priest Edward Fr?ckowiak

Date and place of the wedding: 19.03.1948 Nantwich, Cheshire.

Hodgemoor Camp, near Amersham, Bucks
24 July 1948

seal: General Headquarters of Carpathian Rifle Division.

c.o.h.q. 3rd Carpathian Infantry Division.

c.o.h.q. - Combined Operations Headquarters.

The division was housed in Hodgemoor Camp, Bucks. and maintained a presence there till 1962.