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POLONICA IN SCOTLAND A Register of Polonica of the physical manifestations of the Polish presence in Scotland WORLD WAR TWO & POLISH LINKS WITH CARNOUSTIE |
CARNOUSTIE, ANGUS POLISH GIFT AT ST ANNE’S R.C. CHURCH CANDLESTICK HOLDER FROM THE 10TH ENGINEER COMPANY |
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St. Anne’s RC Church, 64 Thomas Street, Carnoustie Photo: Courtesy of Ronald Marek |
Photo: Courtesy of Ronald Marek |
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SCOTTISH-POLISH LINKS |
OUTLINE OF THE POLISH ARMY IN CARNOUSTIE AND IMMEDIATE AREA |
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1940 On the evening of Christmas Day, at the Church of Scotland canteen, a programme of Polish music was provided, augmented with songs.
1941 On Sunday night, the 2nd February at the Carnoustie Pavilion, under the auspices of the Troops Entertainment Committee, entertainments were put on. Besides the Scottish entertainers, a Polish artiste gave piano solos. The crowd at the Pavilion heard an excellent rendering of “Loch Lomond”, sung by a Polish soldier.
On 8th February, near the location of the 10th Engineers Company, a fire broke out at a factory in the town. The sappers gave aid and a large part of the factory was saved.
The presence of Polish soldiers in the area, then a regiment of lancers in the role of infantry and an engineer company, benefitted the local football team, Carnoustie Panmure. Although losing 8:4 to Forfar Celtic, all Carnoustie’s goals came from two Polish players – named as Frankel and Kozlowski. Polish soldiers played on other local football teams. For example in Arbroath Vics, a soldier by the surname of ‘Kilowskie’ played for this team. A new Polish left-winger shared in Carnoustie’s big win over East Craigie at a match held on Saturday 29th March. The following Sunday afternoon he was due to play against Harp at Lochend Park.
Polish soldiers shared in the bereavement of a local Carnoustie family. An acknowledgement by a family in the local press thanked all those who had expressed sympathy and for tributes made. Included amongst a number of military organisations, were men from the Polish Artillery.
The Polish film “Great Adventure” was shown in Carnoustie’s Pavilion Cinema on Sunday evening, 8th June. The film was in aid of the town’s War Weapons Week Fund and Polish charities. [The film’s Polish title was “Dzień wielkiej przygody” and was released in 1935. It was directed by Józef Lejtes, well known in pre-war Poland.]
The town’s War Weapons Week involved a whole series of events including an exhibition match at the Bruce Hotel courts of a world famous woman’s tennis star, now Mrs Ronald Ellis formerly Miss Anita Lizana. Other tennis players taking part included a Polish international player. The Carnoustie parade as reported in the Courier on 16th June, extended almost a mile as it moved from Lochend Park to the Links. In addition to service and civil defence representatives, it also included displays from industry and agriculture. The Beach Hall was packed in the evening, at the first of a series of dances. Events on Friday 20th June included a tennis exhibition at Bruce Hotel courts. Two Polish Davis Cup players also took part. By Friday 20th June, monies raised by the town amounted to over Ł53,000. Other events on this day included a concert at the YMCA Hall. A young 7-year-old Scottish girl sang the Polish National Anthem in Polish. There was a tennis exhibition in the evening. Participating were a number of Polish players, including Stolarow (Davis Cup player) a Mr Andrzejewski and a former Polish boy champion. A five-aside football match played on the links was won by the Polish Lancers who beat the Royal Artillery.
On Sunday 12th October 1941, an ‘unusual ceremony’ as the local paper reported took place on Carnoustie Links. On that day a detachment of the Polish Army [owing to censorship it was not stated who they were, but they were from the 14th Polish Lancers Regiment] presented a pennant of their regimental colours to the Carnoustie Home Guard. This was “D” Company of the 1st Angus Battalion. The company’s sector lay along the line Carnoustie, Monifieth and Monikie. Their operational role included defence of that part of the coast of Buddon Ness nearest to Carnoustie. This brought them into contact with the Polish troops. Indeed, it was for some 9 months that the local Home Guard co-operated with the 14th Lancers. The local Home Guard unit paraded under Major John Maclagan. They were accompanied by the Carnoustie Flight of the Air Training Corps. The Polish colonel took the salute and thanked the Home Guard for the manner in which they had co-operated. The colonel then presented the pennant to Major Maclagan who, in acknowledging the pennant, spoke of the Polish Army’s gallantry and heroism. Provost Keith stated that the ceremony was an honour to the town.
On Sunday 2nd November, in honour of British and Allied soldiers who gave their lives in the war, Polish sappers laid a wreath at Carnoustie War Memorial. In attendance were the Provost, magistrates and councillors.
On the football front and looking ahead to matches to be played on the 29th November, where Carnoustie was up against East Craigie in the Midland League, the local team’s centre forward was Kroll and Jelski, another Polish player, was to lead the attack for Carnoustie.
1942 Around the beginning of January, Polish soldiers were entertained at a Carnoustie canteen, through the efforts of the ladies of Panbride Church.
On Sunday, 11th January a services concert was organised by the local Entertainments Committee. Members of the Forces, including a Polish choir appeared in the Pavilion. Provost Ruxton made an appeal for Russian and Polish funds, and a collection was made.
The second Sunday in March saw a large crowd gathered at the town’s Beach Hall for a concert by a Polish choir and an orchestra. A Polish cadet acted as compčre and three of the soloists were Poles - K. Idzik (tenor), J. Bogdanow (accordionist) and K. Czynski (so named) as pianist.
So far as can be discovered, the first Scottish-Polish marriage in Carnoustie took place in the Earlston Hotel in the town on 7th April. 2/Lt Wieslaw Niebieszczanski of the 10th Engineer Company married a local girl, Miss Joan Chalmers. [See section below in Births and Marriages].
With the transfer of Polish troops away from the area in April 1942, events involving the Scots and the Poles diminished.
In August 1942, Private Marian Edmund Kogut, a Polish sapper, married Norma Poustie of Kinloch Park, in Carnoustie.
Later in October, another Polish officer, Lt Aleksander Geller was engaged to Miss Isabella Taylor, the elder daughter of Dr and Mrs Ewen Taylor of Carnoustie.
1943 On 3rd June, Staff Sergeant Stefan Gatarek of the Polish Engineers married Mary Cunningham of Carnoustie. Later in June, Corporal Rudolf Czudek of the Polish Forces married Kathleen Paterson of Carnoustie.
1944 Towards the end of December, news that the Cross of Valour had been conferred on the soldier husbands of two Carnoustie women reached the press. They were Private Marian Kogut, a Polish sapper serving with the British Liberation Army and husband of Norma Poustie of Kinloch Park and the other, Sergeant Bronislaw Buchholz also of the Polish Engineers and husband of Florence Bonnar.
1945 It was not until 1945 that news and events involving the Polish Forces and Carnoustie appeared again in the local press. This was mention of a Polish Army sapper – Sergeant Kazimierz Szary for his award of the Cross of Valour. His wife, formerly Miss Pithie, stayed in Victoria Street, Carnoustie. The report noted that Sgt Szary was the third Polish soldier who was married to a Carnoustie girl to win this medal.
Two months later in March another Polish soldier who had married the only daughter of Bailie Cunningham of Carnoustie received for the second time the Polish Cross of Merit. He was Staff Sergeant Stefan Gatarek.
On 24th June at Carnoustie’s Beach Hall, a Polish orchestra and soloists entertained the audience. The concert was in aid of Polish Hospital welfare funds.
It was reported at the end of June, that a lady who did not wish to be named, sent Provost Ruxton Ł2 for the Red Cross, and Ł2 10s (Ł2.50) for the Polish Relief Fund.
In July, it was reported that the son-in-law of Bailie Cunningham – Staff Sergeant Gaterek had received his third decoration of the war – the Cross of Valour for conspicuous bravery and service in the field.
Later in July, news reached the local press that Sergeant Bronislaw Buchholz of the Polish Sappers had been awarded the Virtuti Militari. Only six months ago, he was awarded the Cross of Valour. The sergeant’s wife, Florence Bonnar lived in Westpath in the town. At the same time, it was noted that Colonel Jan Dorantt, who in 1940-1941 commanded the 10th Engineer Company while they were situated at Carnoustie, had also won the Virtuti Militari. Lt-Col Dorantt was also awarded an honorary DSO whilst Commander, Polish Engineers of the 1st Polish Armoured Division. [His recommendation can be found at this internal link]
Whilst many Poles understood that they were guests in this country and should behave appropriately, a minority abused the hospitality of their hosts. On the 9th August, at the Police Court in the town, two Polish soldiers, one a private by the name of Kazimierz Lesniewski and the other, Lance Corporal Stanislaw Garbolinski pleaded guilty to a breach of the peace in the Stag’s Head Inn. They were dressed in civilian clothes at the time but were recognised as Polish soldiers. A further charge of breach of the peace in a bar in Ferrier Street was brought to an end without the facts being determined. Both men were fined. Provost Ruxton noted that Carnoustie had done much for the Polish soldiers and the least that they could do was to behave themselves. He was reported as saying that they should stick to their own canteen.
As well as breaches of the peace, there were many driving offences reported in the media during the war involving Poles. Trying a case at Dundee, towards the end of August, Sheriff Gibb found Corporal Bronislaw Majer of Carnoustie guilty of speeding. The interpreter was asked by the Sheriff to draw to the attention of the commanding officer the amount of speeding that was going on.
At Dundee Sheriff Court on the 19th September, a Stanislaw Andrysik of the Polish Forces at Carnoustie admitted to having in his possession clothing coupons which had not been issued to him. The Sheriff fined him Ł15.
On the 20th September, a concert was given in the Beach Hall by the band and orchestra of the 4th Polish Infantry Division under Bandmaster Stark.
On the 9th October, Catherine Moore of Carnoustie appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court along with a Polish soldier. This soldier, Lance Corporal Teofil Golabek was based at Carnoustie’s Bruce Hotel. The driving lesson which the soldier had given to this Carnoustie schoolteacher resulted in an accident. She admitted to driving an Army truck without a licence, driving without due care and attention and driving without insurance cover. Whilst driving the truck she managed to knock down a man and his dog, who were fortunately not seriously injured. Golabek on his part admitted permitting Moore to drive the vehicle without insurance cover.
1946 On 2nd December, at Perth Sheriff Court a 21-year old Polish soldier called Roman Grajber, was sent to prison for four months for the crime of theft by housebreaking. On the 12th or 13th August, he broke into a shop in Barry Road, Carnoustie and stole a large amount of cigarettes and other items. He admitted that he had broken into Milton Garage in Monifieth and stolen a safe in May and before that in March broke into an office in the High Street in Monifieth and stolen another safe containing money. The young soldier had been persuaded by another Polish soldier, who was an experienced criminal and who was now serving a prison sentence, to cooperate with him and he would be well paid. Grajber it was said came to Scotland after the liberation of France where he had been employed as a forced labourer by the Germans.
1947 On the 27th January, Bailie MacLagan made his first appearance on the bench at Carnoustie Police Court. One of his cases involved a Polish officer – Lieut.-Col Raczek, who was fined 10s (50p) for a military vehicle lighting offence. [In 1947 the colonel was commander of the Polish garrison at Buddon].
1948 The Tomaszewski case (to be completed) |
1940 On the 1st October 1940, the 10th Engineer Company, commanded by Major Dorantt, departed from its camp near Douglas in Lanarkshire to Carnoustie. Its strength amounted to around 180 men. The sappers were well satisfied with their new quarters, a complete change from the cramped conditions of tents and the dampness. Their move, ahead of the main force of the Polish Army, was to construct barracks to house a Polish battalion that would be posted to this vulnerable part of the Scottish coast. With reinforcements arriving from a reserve company of sappers, building of the barracks proceeded quickly.
The Polish unit, the 14th Lancers Regiment (then about 800 strong) and under the command of Colonel Gierulewicz, was moved by rail on the 16th October to take over the shore defence sector to the north of the mouth of River Tay. The lancers were taking over from the 10th Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment. The regiment was assigned the key sector on the right flank of the 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade, on the sandy peninsula of Buddon Ness, guarding the mouth of the River Tay and the access to the strategically important port of Dundee. It was considered by the British, that the Germans might mount an invasion from Norway through the ‘back door’.
The first weeks of the regiment in Buddon camp were spent in improving the defence fortifications. The duty roster in the lancer’s sector was set so that half the force was always on the front line. Numerous day and night alerts were practised and the unit reached a high level of battle readiness.
The coastal defence depended on fire from pillboxes supported by minefields and barbed wire entanglements. The terrain was sandy, uneven, and without approach roads, the access to the outposts was very difficult, particularly for the crews carrying equipment and ammunition. It was the worst terrain of the whole sector but at the same time of key importance.
Along
with many other Royal Engineer units and companies of the Auxiliary Military
Pioneer Corps - Polish engineers too made their mark in the construction of
many types of defence objects in the Angus (and Fife) sectors.
Once an enemy bomber crashed in the lancer’s sector - fortunately without bombs. 2nd Squadron of the 14th Lancers was then on duty. The regiment did not claim the shooting down of the bomber as it was already damaged in an earlier air battle. The local population decided otherwise and in gratitude sent a case of whisky to the Squadron.
A patrol at Buddon Ness found a lifebelt from the Polish liner m/s Pilsudski. It was probably the only remains of the ship which was sunk in action at Narvik during the Spring of 1940.
It was at Buddon Ness that the 14th Lancers celebrated its first Christmas in Britain, and the second one since leaving home. The chronicler of the 2nd Squadron described Christmas Eve [Wigilia] as follows:
“… 24.12.1940 second ‘Wigilia’ in a foreign country. So many thoughts, so many memories are stirred! Christmas is the time of friendship and brotherhood celebrated as such all over the world. For us in a foreign country it’s a great occasion to return even for a moment and in one’s imagination to those at home in Poland. And so for some days now the squadrons have been busy to beautify their dining halls and to prepare the best traditional supper possible.” With Acknowledgment to Dzieje Ulanów Jazłowieckich Praca Zbiorowa, Koło Ulanów Jazłowieckich Odnowa, London, 1988. Translation by Marek Schwetz.
1941 On numbers of Polish soldiers - by the beginning of February in Carnoustie and Buddon Camp there were nearly 170 Polish engineers and nearly 740 men of the 14th Lancers.
On 7th March 1941, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth spent the day with the Polish forces in eastern Scotland. The visit included inspections of the field artillery position at Barry Links, and of the coastal artillery four-inch guns at Carnoustie.
On 3rd April, during a night exercise on the coast, the Commanding Officer of the 1st Squadron of the 14th Lancers, Capt. Stanisław Górski and Cpl. Stanisław Stasiak from his squadron were killed in a minefield. Capt. Górski, an excellent educator and strict disciplinarian, always demanding more from himself than from others, died at once. Corporal Stasiak, seriously wounded, was carried out of the minefield, but died later. The funeral took place at Shanwell Cemetery in the presence of the whole regiment. Following the tradition of the cavalry, a horse draped as in mourning was led behind the two coffins. It was the first of the regiment’s losses in the UK.
Photo from the collection of J. Zagórski by kind permission
The coffins mounted on a vehicle are escorted by lancers. Following behind the vehicle is a riderless horse. In front of the funeral procession (and on the right), the Commanding Officer of the 14th Lancers Regiment. Two months later on 2nd June, a 26-year-old Polish motor cyclist from the 14th Lancers was fatally injured. His motor cycle collided with a military vehicle at the junction of Carlogie Road in the town and the road at the rear of Carlogie House. His pillion passenger was more fortunate, escaping with minor injuries. Cadet-Sergeant Franciszek Gross died in Monifieth Hospital. He came from the city of Lwów. He was buried in Perth’s Wellshill Cemetery.
In July, contingents of the Polish Forces took part in War Weapons Week parades, one of which was in Carnoustie.
At the end of March, the engineer company was moved to Stanley near Perth for pontoon building.
During 1941 alone, the 10th built 3,022 “dragon’s teeth” or “pimples” as they were sometimes referred to. These were built as obstacles to vehicles landing from the sea.
With the outbreak of the German-Russian war in June 1941, the threat of German invasion was removed. Whilst the need for coastal defence disappeared, the intensity of motorised training increased.
Thus in the summer of 1941, the 14th Lancers left the area and moved to a camp in Perthshire. This move was part of a much larger change in the deployment of the 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade. On the 1st July 1941, troops of the 3rd Officer’s Cadre Rifle Brigade were relocated from Dunfermline to the area of Buddon Camp – Barry Camp – Carnoustie – Arbroath. The brigade’s units took over from the 14th and 24th Lancers the coastal sector of the Barry Links peninsula, Carnoustie and Arbroath inclusive. The Brigade’s establishment amounted to nearly 570 men of which nearly 470 were officers. Headquarters of the Brigade was situated in Buddon Camp. In Barry Camp were the 7th and 8th Cadre Rifle Battalions that were in reality company-sized units.
The relieved lancer units of 10th Cavalry Brigade were departing unwillingly to their new locations. The several months stay and the exemplary behaviour of the soldiers gained favour with the local population who befriended it and left good memories and goodwill.
The 3rd Brigade remained in the area until Polish soldiers of the 10th Mounted Rifles Regiment, under the command of Lt-Col Monwid-Olechnowicz, moved into their allocated sector of the Scottish east coast covering Arbroath to Barry Links in mid-October 1941. One squadron covered Barry Links, and the rest of the regiment was based in Arbroath.
1942 Other Polish Army engineer units were located in the Carnoustie area. For example, in January 1942 two engineer companies – the 11th Corps Engr Coy and the 11th Corps Field Park Coy were located at Buddon Camp. In addition, a Polish Bomb Disposal Section was also located at this camp.
In April 1942, Polish troops left Carnoustie. It was not until 1945 that there was a permanent return to the area.
However, in the last quarter of the year, Polish sappers carried out mine-lifting work. As the minefields at East Haven near Carnoustie had become a menace to aviators using the new aerodrome, Polish sappers were asked to remove 1,300 mines. Some of the mines had become dangerously sensitive, and were overgrown by long grass and others were under water. The opportunity was taken, therefore, to train as many Polish sappers as possible in mine lifting. In addition, an exercise, attended by 300 spectators (British, including Home Guard, and Polish) was held to demonstrate how to find and blow mines quickly by several different methods, such as removal by hand after detection by Polish Mine detector*, blowing by Cordtex [a type of detonating cord] net and Bangalore torpedoes [an explosive charge placed within one or several connected tubes], and by detonating a block of explosives placed 3 to 4 feet above the field.
*The Polish Mine Detector was invented by a Polish signals officer, Lt Józef Stanisław Kosacki. Several hundred of them were rushed to North Africa in time for the El Alamein battle. Variants of the detector were still being used by the British Army into the mid 1990s.
The Polish Engineer Training Centre also applied the water jet method to the fixing of immobilization poles on beaches. This was much faster and more efficient than digging them in. Chief Engineer, Scottish Command, Brigadier C.C. Phipps OBE, MC saw the method employed by Polish Sappers at Carnoustie and immediately adopted it for the whole Command.
When the
threat of invasion by Germany had lifted it was Polish Engineers who
especially distinguished themselves in the dangerous activity of clearing the
minefields on the East coast of Scotland. 1945-1946 At the beginning of 1945, a Polish Medical Sorting Centre for 500 patients at Carnoustie was in the process of being organised. Behind this new centre lay the need to have a medical formation that could receive all Polish patients discharged from British hospitals and all discharges from Polish hospitals which are considered unfit for further service. A number of buildings in Carnoustie were allotted to this Centre but there were delays in starting this unit. By early March, 120 further hospital beds had been procured for the Centre, making a total of 150. Headquarters of the unit was at the Bruce Hotel. Further expansion of the number of beds took place so that by June there were 640 cases in the sorting unit. By early August, there was some 650 patients plus about 260 staff working at the Centre. Whilst the Centre was originally intended to be a centre for the classification, categorisation and boarding of patients discharged from hospital or arriving from overseas, it was, owing to the lack of hospital accommodation, had now become a large auxiliary hospital full of chronic cases who had nowhere to go. It had been earlier estimated that there were around 3,000 Polish service men unfit for any form of duty with the armed forces, plus a further 3,000 at present in hospital, most of whom were expected to return to duty. About half the patients in the centre have only barrack accommodation with double tier bunks. The unit was spread over six large houses widely separated from one another. 160 patients were housed in an 18th century mansion without electricity or central heating and with inadequate sanitation.
By November, arrangements had been made to transfer the centre to No 11 Polish Military Hospital at Llanerch Panna (south of Penley) in Flintshire. This former US Army General Hospital was complete with specially erected buildings and with every department required by a large hospital.
On the 15th November some 60 soldiers of the Casualty Sorting Centre at Carnoustie left by train for eventual repatriation to Poland.
Some of the hotel accommodation used by the Poles was due to be derequisitioned by the end of December 1945. The hotels were the Bruce Hotel which could accommodate up to 157 men and the Earlston Hotel, 63.
At the beginning of June 1946, the 7th Supply Company moved to Panmure House in Carnoustie and workshops to Buddon Camp. It was only there for about 4 months when it was directed to move to Polmont at the end of August.
One other Polish unit identified in the area was the 4th Machine Gun Battalion at Buddon Camp. It was still there in late November 1946.
Recruitment into the Polish Resettlement Corps commenced in early September 1946. In 1947, units of the Polish Resettlement Corps were located at RNAS East Haven. These units, originally the 6th Rifle Bn, 4th Rifle Bn less detachments and the 5th Rifle Bn (all formerly part of the 4th Infantry Division) were amalgamated into the 106 Basic Unit PRC from 1st April 1947. The battalions had previously been based at Peterhead Airfield. This Basic Unit was subordinated to 13 Brigade Group PRC. The commander of the garrison at East Haven was Lt-Col Wladyslaw Czoch. On 20th June, the Basic Unit’s record strength had decreased to just over 700 men, though actual strength was lower. At the end of June 1947, the soldiers remaining under 106 Basic Unit PRC were moved to a former airfield in Fife. Several months later the Basic Unit was disbanded. |
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BIRTHS AND MARRIAGES In Scotland, during the war (and after) there were a large number of marriages involving Polish servicemen with Scots women. Between 1939 and 1944, it was reported that there had been nearly 1,600 such marriages. This was part of a wider trend where women all over Britain were marrying ‘foreigners’ who had come to this country to fight on the British side.
From these Scottish-Polish marriages and other liaisons, a new second generation started to form. A number of these marriages and the birth of children from these marriages, with links to Carnoustie are given for illustrative purposes. They are arranged in roughly chronological order.
One of the first Scottish-Polish marriages in Carnoustie took place on 7th June 1941 at Erskine Church. Stanisław Misikiewicz married Elizabeth Boath, the only daughter of the late Mr James and Mrs Elizabeth Boath of Thomas Street in Carnoustie.
On the 7th April 1942 at the Earlston Hotel, Lt Wiesław Niebieszczański of the 10th Engineer Company, married Miss Joan Chalmers, only daughter of Mrs and Mrs K Chalmers of Carnoustie. The ceremony was conducted by Father Antoni Kosiba. Afterwards a reception was held in the Bruce Hotel. The best man was Lt Z. Koronkiewicz, also of the Polish engineers. In June 1943, a son was born to the couple at Arbroath Infirmary.
Adjacent image from the book “Z saperami generała Maczka”, author – Borchólski, Mieczysław. Published MON, 1990 Lt Niebieszczański and his bride just after they were married in Carnoustie on 7th April 1942
On 22nd August 1942, Private Marian Edmund Kogut, a Polish sapper, married Norma Poustie, the elder daughter of Mr and Mrs John Poustie of Kinloch Park. The groom was the only son of Mr and Mrs Aleksander Kogut of Żółkiew, Poland. The wedding took place at Erskine Church in the town.
In October 1942, the engagement was announced between Lt Aleksander Geller and Miss Isabella Taylor, the elder daughter of Dr and Mrs Ewen Taylor of Carnoustie. Lt Geller later served in the 1st Polish Armoured Division and was wounded in the battle at Soignolles in August 1944, in Normandy. He was probably serving in the 10th Mounted Rifles Recce Regiment at the the time of his engagement.
On 15th February 1943, Corporal Bronisław Wieczorkiewicz of the Polish Forces married Harriet Clark at St Ann’s R.C. Church. The bride was the only daughter of the late David Clark of Carnoustie.
On 27th April 1943, at the Old Parish Church in the town, Corporal Józef Węglowski of the Polish Forces married Margaret Robb, the elder daughter of the late Mr Andrew and Mrs Robb of Park Avenue. His wife gave birth to a daughter, Linda, in August 1945. In July 1948, he applied for naturalisation [see section below].
On 3rd June 1943, Staff Sergeant Stefan Gatarek married Mary Cunningham, only daughter of Mr and Mrs J.B. Cunningham of Carnoustie at Erskine United Free Church in the town. Later, on 23rd June 1943, at Panbride Church in Carnoustie, Corporal Rudolf Czudek of the Polish Forces married Kathleen Paterson, younger daughter of Mr and Mrs J Paterson of Victoria Street.
In 1944, Stanisław Marek, a Polish sapper who was previously based in Carnoustie, married Vera Carr at St Clement’s in Dundee. His wife gave birth to a son, Stanley, in September 1944.
In 1945, Jan Langa married Alexina Martin in Carnoustie.
On the 30th March 1946, Władysław Powada of the Polish Forces married Ethel Robertson at Rescobie Parish Church. The bride was the elder daughter of Mr and Mrs Robertson who lived in William Street.
Other marriages In 1941, Sergeant Bronisław Buchholz of the Polish Engineers to Florence Bonnar of Westpath. Sometime In 1942, Stanisław Chwalba married Helen Ross in Carnoustie. Also married in Carnoustie in 1942 was Kazimierz Szary, a Polish Army sapper to Miss Millias Pithie.
Sometimes marriages in the town involved a Polish groom and bride. One example was that of Mieczysław Taras who married Stefania Kowalska in 1945. Another example in the same year was Jan Kozakiewicz who married Genowefa Szyda. |
MEMORIES
IF ANYONE HAS MEMORIES, DOCUMENTS, PHOTOS OF THE POLISH FORCES IN CARNOUSTIE AND WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THESE, THEN PLEASE CONTACT ME AT THIS EMAIL ADDRESS :
robert@ostrycharz.free-online.co.uk
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POLES WHO SETTLED IN CARNOUSTIE POST-WAR An insight into those who settled here may be garnered from those who applied for British naturalisation and who lived In Carnoustie at the time it was granted. Only the years in the 1940s to 1950s are covered. Their names were published without using the Polish alphabet. It is not possible to list every Polish person who lived and or worked in Carnoustie, but it at least gives some indication of the degree of Polish resettlement in the town, including the type of employment. Most, if not all of these men would have served in the Polish Forces.
For example, in the late 1940s – Stefan Kupka, Motor Mechanic Driver, Links Cottage Josef Weglowski, Miner, Park Avenue Stanislaw Misikiewicz, Forester, Maule Street (He later renounced the name in favour of Stanley Boath and his wife altered her name back to Boath). Bronislaw Buchholz, Coal Miner, West Path Stanislaw Marek, Process Worker, Dundee Street Karol Zajac, Process Worker, Kinloch Street
In the 1950s - Franciszek Romaszkiewicz, Gardener, Maule Street Stefan Gatarek, Motor Mechanic, Camus Street Teofil Kostka, Labourer, Panmure Street. Wanda Kostka, Housewife, Panmure Street Wladyslaw Kubicki, Tenter (Textiles), Yeaman Street |
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UPDATES 14th March 2014 New items included in Scottish-Polish links for 1944 and Births and Marriages. Photo and caption added under ‘Births and Marriages’. 16th March 2014 Additional information added to Births and Marriages. |
SOURCES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PRINTED SOURCES Books 1. Dzieje Ulanów Jazłowieckich Praca Zbiorowa, Koło Ulanów Jazłowieckich Odnowa, London 1988. 2. 24 Pułk Ulanów: zarys historii 1920-1947. Komornicki, Stefan. London 1976. 3. White Eagle - Grey Kangaroo, from Poland to Australia : A Ten Year Odyssey. Zagórski, Jack. J. J. & A. Zagorski, Eltham, Victoria, Australia 1998. 4. “Z saperami generała Maczka”, Borchólski, Mieczysław. Published MON, 1990.
Periodicals Arbroath Herald, Courier and Advertiser [Dundee], Edinburgh Gazette, Evening Telegraph, Sunday Post
Archives Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum [external link] The National Archives Kew. various War Office files relating to Scottish Command
INDIVIDUALS Mr Ronald Marek, Mr Marek Schwetz, Mr Jacek Zagórski |
Unsuccessful
in identifying the copyright owner.
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Revised 15 July 2016 |
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PolonicaCarnoustie.htm |
© Copyright R M Ostrycharz 2014 |