Are you aware of any Polish Resettlement Corps (PRC) veterans from the Polish Armed Forces who worked and settled in the Bassetlaw area after WWII?
These PRC veterans are now buried in local cemeteries scattered throughout the Bassetlaw District. If they had a family in the area, their descendants may still live in Bassetlaw.
A project is underway to research information on PRC veterans from the Bassetlaw area who settled locally after the war. The aim is for this project to be completed by May 2026, marking the 80th anniversary of the formation of the Polish Resettlement Corps.
The information gathered will hopefully be compiled into a booklet for distribution to local libraries and the wider community in Bassetlaw (funding permitting). A similar format will be used to that of previous remembrance project booklets.
As well as recording the locations of the veterans’ graves and photographing them, the following information is being collected:
- Name / Rank
- Service number
- Regiment / Service History
- Date of death
- Personal / family history
- Where they are commemorated / buried
This information is hoped to be provided by any living family, relatives, or friends, if possible. Sadly, some veterans who are buried and forgotten may remain so.
As time progresses, the PRC veterans’ pre-war, wartime, and post-war histories within the Bassetlaw community risk being lost forever.
Local residents are encouraged to share this appeal or speak to elderly neighbours who may remember such veterans in the area.
For more details, contact Michael Szarelis on 07478 653407 or michael.szarelis@btinternet.com.