My grandad was Polish, and was in the Polish army circa 1939. When the Germans invaded from the west, Stalin invaded from the east, under the pretence that the Russians were entering the country to fight the Germans. Of course, Stalin and Hitler had already divided up the country between them.

My grandad, as with almost all the entire Polish officer corps, was sent to the Gulag, in Siberia. He was luckier than the thousands of Polish officers who were brutally massacred at Katyn.

He survived the Gulag and its horrors, and was eventually released by the Russians, making his way to join the free Polish forces fighting with the Allies.

He fought at Monte Cassino in italy, which is well-known for the intensity of the battle.

He died when I was quite young, and I really regret the fact that I never got the chance to ask him about his experiences in the war - but such is life.
(anvil, Sat 4 Jun 2011, 9:53, 4 replies)

Recently read a book that may interest you
Story of a Secret State

Written in 1943 but only just published in the UK, the author was a Polish officer captured by the Russians who managed to escape and join the Polish resistance.

It might give you some insights into your granddad's experiences.
( Snappyuk gets BIGGER with free sample., Sat 4 Jun 2011, 11:45, closed)

Cheers, I'll give it a whirl!

Solzhenitsyn - The Gulag Archipelago is also a great choice for anyone interested in Russian history, as are the books Sebag Montefiore wrote about Stalin.
(anvil, Sat 4 Jun 2011, 21:02, closed)

What I don't get is . .
Britain/France had a agreement to go to war to defend Poland.

Germany invades Poland, hence Britain/France declare war.

Russia invades Poland, and . . . . ?

What was the difference ? Seriously. Can any history types explain this to me. Why was Germany invading Poland from the West seen as more relevant than Russia invading from the East.
(Bitter and Twisted, Mon 6 Jun 2011, 0:25, closed)

I watched a film last night
called The way back. Which was a story about men who escaped the Gulag and walked all the way to india - from Siberia in the dead of winter, with nothing more than a thick coat for equipment.
(Dan dan dan They tik urh jerbs!!!, Mon 6 Jun 2011, 13:08, closed)