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Source Organization
Kitchener Public Library
Collection
Soldier Information Cards - World War Two
Transcription
(clipping) 7 May 1945
Beliecky, Frank
(image)
Safe in England
A prisoner of war since the Dieppe raid in August, 1942, Pte. Frank Beliecky, son
of Mrs. Annie Biliecky, 64 Second avenue, has been liberated by the Allies and is now
safe in England. Pte. Beliecky was serving at Dieppe with the 11th Field Ambulance
and was taken prisoner at the time.
(clipping) 26 June 1945
Frank Bilicky Home From Prison Camp
Don't pass the turnips to Pte. Frank Bilicky, Second avenue, a prisoner of war in Germany for
two and a half years who has finally come home. In prison camp the daily fare was turnip
soup, about five spuds and three slices of black bread.
"They diced the turnips to make them look nice, but it's a good thing there are no turnips
around here," laughed Pte. Biliecy, referencing to the garden of his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Michael Bilicky.
Speaking seriously, Pte. Bilicky voiced the opinion of other repatriated prisoners, "If it
hadn't been for the Red Cross parcels we would have starved."
March 900 Miles.
Last February 1 the Germans put Pte. Bilicky and his fellow prisoners on the road to keep
them away from advancing Allied armies. Pte. Bilicky estimated that they had marched about
900 miles until early in April when he and about 18 other prisoners escaped.
"The column of prisoners was marching along a road lined with bushes. We had started
marching about six one morning and we were still going at two o'clock the next morning. We
just took off from the column and hid in the bushes. For awhile we holed up in a village
where Polish slave labor fed us. Things got pretty hot there and we moved to another village
where the Polish slave labor looked after us again.
"The bunch left the column divided into small groups. I started off with two Englishmen and
a couple of Yanks. The Englishmen broke off and when the American army reached the two
Yanks and I were together.
Hid in Cellar
Pte. Bilicky related that he, the two Yanks and some Russians were hiding in a cellar
when the U. S. army began shelling the town. The town was shelled for about two
hours and then the Jerries pulled out.
"The Yanks treated us fine. We didn't want much though, just some good food," said
Pte. Bilicky of the final liberation.
While on the march as prisoners of war they lived mostly on what they could steal.
"They'd put us up in a little village or on farms for the night. If there was a
chicken, potatoes, or anything around to eat, it was taken. We picked up more
potatoes than anything else," he recalled.
Going overseas in July, 1940, Pte. Bilicky, now 25 years of age, went to Dieppe with
the Essex Scottish and was taken prisoner. He has a brother, Mike, who is serving
in British Columbia with the army and another brother, Steve, is now back in
civilian life.