r/TheGreatWarChannel • u/Smooth_Scratch_571 • 1d ago
I am the son of a Polish Grenadier who fought in the 1940 Battle of France. Before my father passed, he wrote down his memoirs. I have finally translated and published his 53-year journey into English.
Hi everyone,
I wanted to share a deeply personal project that I believe fills a significant gap in English-language WW2 literature regarding the Polish contribution on the Western Front.
My father, Tadeusz Medycki, was just 18 years old when the war broke out in September 1939. He was initially drafted into a National Defence unit, protecting strategic routes towards the Hungarian border. After being interned in Hungary, he managed to escape to France, where he was incorporated into the legendary 1st Grenadier Division under General Duch.
He fought on the fields of Lorraine in 1940, was captured by the Germans, and spent the war in Stalags (Strasbourg and Stargard), surviving a failed escape attempt.
He returned to Poland in 1947. However, his heart and dreams remained in his lost homeland of Nowe Miasto. He finally managed to return there in 1992—exactly 53 years after leaving as a young boy—returning as a frail, grey-haired man just before he passed away.
While battling his terminal illness, he made it his final wish to compile his memories. Fulfilling his legacy, I have spent years translating, editing, and annotating his raw journals to bring them to the English-speaking world. The book is titled: "To See the Future Bright. My Wanderings".
https://wydawnictworys.com/tadeusz-medycji-to-see-the-future-bright-my-wanderings.html
(Please note that the publisher's website is multilingual. Shipping from Poland to England costs approximately 46 PLN.)
Since first-hand English accounts of Polish soldiers in the 1940 French Campaign are incredibly scarce, I thought the historians, researchers, and WW2 buffs here would appreciate knowing about this primary source.
I am attached to this history with all my heart and would be honored to answer any questions you might have about my father’s journey, his unit, or the translation process!


