MAJ. STANISLAW KMIOTEK

Stanislaw was raised in a small village 70km outside of Lwow, Poland (now Ukraine). In 1939, as the war broke in Poland, Stan was in cadet training school. While on leave in his home village, Russian forces captured his town and transported most of the village inhabitants to Siberia for forced labor. Taking 3 months to transport, in mostly cattle cars and on foot, Stan, his parents and 5 brothers were now in a work camp in the middle of nowhere, 50 km away from the closest town. 

In February of 1940, after months of near starvation conditions, freezing temperatures, and forced labor, Stanislaw was able to escape the work camp after a work shift change. Sacrificing the chance of ever seeing his family again, Stan managed his way to Buy, Russia, finding work in the town fixing transportation straps. It was here when Stanislaw saw a newspaper article that the Polish Government in Exile was forming their own armed forces in the Middle East with the British. He left his job shorty thereafter to continue his escape from occupied soil, traveling south. Stan even robbed a bank with a Russian traveling acquaintance he met along the way just to be able to survive his journey to freedom. He finally made it to Taszkient (now Uzbekistan), where he met a Polish Army Officer and gladly volunteered for the newly formed Polish Forces. It was his chance to finally fight against his fatherland's invaders. 

At this time, the Russian Secret Police were looking for a Polish man on the charges of bank robbery. Upon learning this, the Polish Officer sent him on the next transport to Persia, assigned to the 16th Lwowski Rifle Battalion. The 16th Lwowski were gearing up for the allied fight in Italy at this time. However, Stanislaw was reassigned to Scotland before seeing combat in the Mediterranean; replacements were needed in the push in Northern Europe after the Normandy Invasion. It was in Scotland as the Polish Armed Forces under the British were reassembling, when Stan volunteered for the 1st Independent Paratrooper Brigade. After completing jump training and then advanced sabotage type training, he was assigned as a communications officer. He participated in his first combat jump into Arnhem, Holland during Operation Market Garden. He was wounded during the battle. In 1949, then at the rank of Major, Stanislaw was honorably discharged, having completed over 300 jumps during his time in the service. 

With the Soviet Union controlling Poland under the Iron Curtain after WWII, Stan decided to settle in Ontario, Canada in 1956, after working briefly in Britain. He travelled well over 15,000 km in his wartime journey. The rest of his family, apart from his father, survived the Siberian camp and returned to Western Poland in 1946. It wasn’t until 1966 that Stan was able to go back to Poland for the first time to see his family. Stanislaw passed away in 2012 at the age 92. An incredible journey to escape enslavement and fight for freedom. 

The paratrooper wings (showcased) were received from Stan in the early 2000s. Stan modified his jump wings, scratching his name on the back, adding a 14k gold wreath and silver soldering the eagle. Note the photo of Stan (below, right side) depicting his paratrooper wing fastened to his uniform; the photo is dated 1945. Thank you for your service and sacrifices, Major Stanislaw.