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Polish Soldiers - help please

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Nigel

Nigel Report 25 Feb 2009 11:42

My friend's Mum (60) died when she was a baby and her father was an unknown Polish man certainly working on a Welsh farm in 1948.(from birth certificate). An extremely rare name - I believe this Polish dad went on to marry in the UK 1958 and had a child who confirms her Dad's name but refuses to talk to us any further. Sadly we find he died in 1979.
Is there any source to discover how he came to be in the UK - I guess as a soldier with the British Army in WW2?
Grateful for any advice. N.

InspectorGreenPen

InspectorGreenPen Report 25 Feb 2009 12:09

It is possible that he was a member of the Polish Services, in which case there will be records for him. All Polish ww2 records are now held at:-

Ministry of Defence, Building 2b, RAF Northolt, West End Road, Ruislip, Middlsex HA4, 6NG.

Phone No is 020 8833 8603

E-mail [email protected]

However, you might hit a problem obtain copies, assuming they have anything on him, as records are only released to the official next of kin.

Nigel

Nigel Report 25 Feb 2009 20:48

Those are great suggestions - I thank-you both VERY much. I hope to let you know of any successes. Diolch yn fawr / thanks very much.

Nigel

Nigel Report 3 Mar 2009 16:50

You are wonderful people!

As above - MOD Northolt have all that we need on the missing Polish Dad, and explains how he came to be here W/Wales at Henllan Camp.

Under Brit command the Polish Corps went assorted Russia, Iran, and Italy and a later choice of Poland or Britain. Jan chose here with Italian POW's.

Wow - my friend is so VERY grateful after all these decades!

Nigel

Nigel Report 3 Mar 2009 16:54

(They required the birth-certificate of the babe with his name on, and his death cert. that I have obtained since, as well as an admin fee of course).

InspectorGreenPen

InspectorGreenPen Report 3 Mar 2009 17:13

Brilliant news......!

Gwyn in Kent

Gwyn in Kent Report 3 Mar 2009 19:42

Great news.
Just would like to add that all is not lost if one does not have the full information that is usually required.

I know someone in almost identical situation,who had no father's name on the birth certificate, but the father paid some maintainance for the child at first and was named on the child's adoption papers, so proof of kinship can come from other sources.
You seem to have had a quick reply, ...Did you get a photograph too?

Gwyn

Nigel

Nigel Report 3 Mar 2009 22:45

The above is from a phone-call to the Northolt number - and from my chat with a charming (Polish?) lady there.
We have not ordered the pack (mixed English and Polish) just yet - but the Northolt lady suggested that photos are more often in officers files rather than the lower ranks. Watch this space..

Since the call - I have found loads of general info about the Polish II Corps and separately the Henllan POW camp on a bbc page wales/mid/sites/history/pages/henllan_jonmeirion.shtml