Born: July 10, 1920, in Pogorzelec (pow. Suwałki, woj. białostockie, Poland)
Died: May 15, 2009 in London, Ontario, Canada
Buried : St. Peter’s Cemetery, London, Ontario, Canada
Family: father Jan; mother Maria (maiden name: Jakubowska)
Military Medals: Polish: Krzyż Walecznych; Order Odrodzenia Polski Polonia Restituta (1990), Medal Wojska, Krzyż Kampanii Wrześniowej 1939; Krzyż Pamiątkowy Monte Cassino, Krzyż Czynu Bojowego (1999); British: 1939/1945 Star, Italy Star, Defense Medal.
Fates before joining Anders Army : His childhood was hard, because of the destruction wrought in his part of Poland during WWI. He trained to be a carpenter and joiner. When WWII broke out, he was at home with his parents. On April 15, 1940, he was arrested by the Russians under the false accusation, that he was a dangerous person. He was deported by the Russians from Poland to the USSR in April 1940 until 1942, to work on building railroads near Vorkuta.
Military history: He was released upon the announcement of the amnesty and was paid 300 rubles. He had food for 6 days and a pass to join the Polish forces being formed in Buzuluk. He was sent to Guzar and there joined the Polish Forces (19th Infantry Regiment) on February 17, 1942. After crossing the Russo-Persian border, he came under British command in the Middle East on April 1, 1942. From Tehran he was transferred to Palestine and assigned to the 3rd Carpathian Rifle Division. He was posted to the 7th Rifle Battalion on June 4, 1942, and the 1st Rifle Battalion on November 10, 1942. He landed in Italy on December 13, 1943, and was sent to the Sangro River front. He took part in the Battle of Monte Cassino, where he was in front-line action. On May 12, 1944, he was wounded. While he was being carried down the mountain, they were hit with mortar fire so the stretcher bearers left him and ran for cover. He asked them to at least put him behind some rocks and out of harm’s way. They did so and that saved his life. He was taken to a hospital near Campobasso and eventually by hospital train to a Canadian hospital in Naples, and then after 5 days transferred to a Polish hospital at Cassamassima. He was in hospital for 6 weeks. On November 1, 1944, he was wounded for a second time. He rejoined his unit on January 1, 1945, at Osimo. He took part in the operations till May 2, 1945. He continued his service in Italy until September 1946, when he was transferred to the United Kingdom. He served with the Polish Resettlement Corps and was discharged on emigration to Canada.
Post-War: He immigrated to Canada from England in June 1947. He landed in Halifax and then went to Kingston to a transfer camp and then on to London. In London he was taken to an employment office, where farmers were waiting. He came to Canada with the understanding, that he would work first on a two-year farm contract. Some of the farmers checked out the soldiers, how muscular were they etc., to see if they were suited for farm work. Many found this process unhuman and not suited to allied soldiers. Klemens did get work with a farmer, who treated him well. He was on a two-year farm contract at $45 a month plus room and board. The days were long, running from 6 am to 9 pm. He was expected to milk cows, which he had never done before. Even though he was shown how, he was not good at it and the cows grew impatient. Luckily the farmer decided to use milking machines and Klemens was spared this work. After two months he was given a $15 a month raise and he did his two years on the farm. After the contract he moved to London. He worked for Ainslie Construction Ltd., in Lambeth, Ontario.
He was also active in the Canadian and global SPK in various capacities and received numerous awards. He was proudest of being named a Kawaler Orderu Odrodzenia Polski, received in 1990. He was also a founding member of Our Lady of Czestochowa Church, and instrumental in establishing Polonia Towers, where he served as president for two terms. Klemens was a founding member of SPK, Branch No. 2 in 1947. He served as President (1959, 1960, 1962, 1970, 1987, 1998), Vice-President (1964, 1980). During his terms as President, the Combatants Hall and the Combatants Monument was built.
author : Stan Skrzeszewski
source : “Book of Remembrance / Książka Pamięci”, Polish Combatant’s Association, Branch 2. London, Ontario, Canada, 2018.
