Born: October 19, 1915, Kobylczyce (Nowogródek voivodship, Poland)
Died: July 3, 1985, Australia
Buried: Pointville Saint Matthews Roman-Catholic cemetery, Tasmania, Australia
Medals: Polish – The War Order of Virtuti Militari, Order Polonia Restituta; Australian – Order of Australia (1980)
Fates before joining Anders Army: During World War II, a soldier of the Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade – participant in the defense of Tobruk in Africa (“Rat of Tobruk”), 1941.
Military history at Anders Army: A soldier of the 1st Carpathian Rifle Battalion of the 3rd Carpathian Rifle Division of the Polish 2nd Corps. Participant in the Italian campaign, including the Battle of Monte Cassino.
Post-War: After World War II, in 1946, together with the Polish 2nd Corps, he was transferred from Italy to Great Britain. He decided to emigrate to Australia. On December 10, 1947, he arrived in Tasmania on board the SS Asturias. He was hired by the Hydro-Electric Commission based in Hobart. Piotr Połacik was very active in Polish communities in Australia. He inspired many important initiatives of the Polish community in Tasmania. He participated in the creation of the Polish House in Hobart, the creation of the Carpathians’ Club, the Polish Combatants’ Association (Stowarzyszenie Polskich Kombatantów), the Polish Club, and the Credit Union. In the years 1953-1955 he was the first president of the Branch No. 7 of Stowarzyszenie Polskich Kombatantów (SPK) in Hobart. Then he was the president of the Union of Poles in Hobart for many years. He died in 1985. In recognition of his great social work for the Polish community in Tasmania, Piotr Połacik was elected the patron of the Polish House in Hobart.
author: Aneta Hoffmann, Warsaw, Poland
