Zbyszek Bachurzewski's escape from the Soviet Union

The story starts in 1939 when Germany invaded Poland first, and then Russia.

My father, Zbyszek, was an officer in the army. He was sent to fight against the Russians. My father was captured by Russians early in the war. My grandparents had to make an important decision of either going east or south and they decided to go south through Hungary to France. Meanwhile, my father was captured and sent to Russia.

The Polish officers in the train opened the doors and asked (urged) the arrested officers to flee. My father escaped. My grandparents made it to Paris. My father made his way through Finland to England and then France by the end of 1939.

He was reunited with his family in Paris. My father rejoined the Polish Army already reformed in France until France surrendered. Later, all my family members reunited again in England. My father was sent to the tank training school.

The Polish Army was formed in Scotland later, and my father joined it. My parents stayed in Scotland until 1949. I was born in Edinburgh.