Grave of the Jakimowicz family
[lot C1 652A ]
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RICHARD JAKIMOWICZ
( 1919-2010 )
( 1919-2010 )
Born in Kovno, Lithuania, his family moved to safer Sieradz, in south-west Poland, where his father established a pharmacy. Richard went to university in Grenoble, France, but in 1939, the outbreak of war brought him back to Poland. There, he escaped the Germans by fleeing to Lublin and then to Romania, and on to Budapest where he took a train to Greece. From there he and his brother took a Polish freight to Marseilles, France and they joined the Polish army. After the fall of France, they were lucky to find a passage to England where they joined the RAF. Richard flew as a navigator with a Polish squadron until the end of the war. He married Halina Wodzynska (below) in 1945. They emigrated to Canada in 1946 and had four children: Irena, Maria, Hania and Ryszard. Their father loved flying and he worked in the aeronautical industry until the end of his career. He died at the age of 91.
Halina WODZYŃSKA
( 1922-2007 )
( 1922-2007 )
Born and raised in Bialystok, north-eastern Poland. In 1939, at the outbreak of war, the Soviets stormed Bialystok and took all the professional men for questioning, including Halina's father, Stanislaw. The family never saw him again. Several days later, the Soviet officials came for the rest of the family i.e. her mother and the three children, as well as thousands of other Polish families. They were taken to the USSR by cattle trains. The journey took 2 weeks during which they were packed so tightly in the wagons, that all could only stand. They arrived in Pavlodar, Kazakhstan, and worked on a watermelon farm. They lived in a barn in one cattle stall per family.
They managed to join the newly-forming Polish Army under General Anders, and in 1942 accompanied the army to Iran and the Middle-East. Next transported to Karachi, India, they were then taken to a refugee camp in Kenya, Africa. Halina and her mother worked there with Polish war orphans and their families. After a year, a troop-ship transported Halina and her family to England, where Halina joined the WAAF and served as an officer until the end of the war. There she met and married Ryszard (above) in 1945.
They emigrated to Canada in 1956. They had 4 children: 2 born in England and 2 in Canada. Halina worked at The Bay department store for 40 years. It took her and Ryszard a long time before they could talk about the horrors of war. Canada reminded them of Poland. They did return to visit Poland eventually but never to their home towns. They loved their country house in Prévost and chose to be buried nearby in Saint-Sauveur cemetery near their other Polish friends.
They managed to join the newly-forming Polish Army under General Anders, and in 1942 accompanied the army to Iran and the Middle-East. Next transported to Karachi, India, they were then taken to a refugee camp in Kenya, Africa. Halina and her mother worked there with Polish war orphans and their families. After a year, a troop-ship transported Halina and her family to England, where Halina joined the WAAF and served as an officer until the end of the war. There she met and married Ryszard (above) in 1945.
They emigrated to Canada in 1956. They had 4 children: 2 born in England and 2 in Canada. Halina worked at The Bay department store for 40 years. It took her and Ryszard a long time before they could talk about the horrors of war. Canada reminded them of Poland. They did return to visit Poland eventually but never to their home towns. They loved their country house in Prévost and chose to be buried nearby in Saint-Sauveur cemetery near their other Polish friends.