Gallery – Polish refugees in New Zealand

Krystyna Skwarko (Pancewicz) was in charge of the boys school in Pahiatua.

On the 1st November 1944, the Polish Children and their cargivers were disembarked from the ship SRS General Randall and transported by train directly to the Pahiatua Polish Children's Camp. The map shows the route taken by the train.

This picture was given to the children at the Polish Camp just south of Pahiatua in 1944. It was painted by a Polish soldier of the 3rd Carparthian Brigade in Italy and presented to the Polish children in Pahiatua to remind them of their devotion to Our Lady of Czętochowa , the patron saint of Poland. The picture now resides in St Brigid's Church in Pahiatua. It was given as a gift to St Brigids on the 60th anniversary of the children's arrival in New Zealand. Józef and Stefania Zawada presented the picture to the parish.

Piece written by Sean Brosnahan for 'Otago Settlers News', June 2006, issue 89 about the Polish boarders of the catholic schools in Dunedin in 1947. Photo of Polish girl boarders at St Dominics 1947 from Hocken Collection: Stefania Manterys, Anna Manterys, Christina Czoba, Dioniza Gradzik, Irena Cwirko- Godyka, Roma Sokalska, Helena Chwieduk, Zofia Rombel. Photo of boy pupils at St Kevins - Frank Kubiak, Stanisław Manterys and Józef Zawda from Józef Zawada's private collection. Article published with permission from the Otago Settlers Association.

This is a postcard photo of the Polish Girls hostel that housed Polish girls and young women in Wellington. It was bought by the Catholic Church for the use of the Polish girls and was run by the Ursuline nuns in particular by Sister Alexandrowicz who came to New Zealand with the children. Today it houses the Nuncio of the Catholic Church.

Lt General Freyberg chats with the camp commandant , Major E.F.C.Finney.

Lt General Freyberg officially visited the 3rd Carpathian Brigade in Italy. Here he is visiting the Polish Children's camp in Pahiatua and is chatting to the Polish delegate, Mr Szczęsny Zalewski. Mrs Anne Jacques is in the background. She was an organiser of the Polish Army League in NZ which was formed to enable NZers to write and send gifts to Polish soldiers in Italy.

This image of Our Lady of Częstochowa, under the appellation of Queen of Poland was painted by a Polish soldier, Sergeant Major Feliks Krzewinski, in Loreto, Italy, during the Italian Campaign of World War II. It was gifted to the children of the Polish Children's Camp, Pahiatua, by the soldiers of the Third Carpathian Division of the Polish Second Army Corps.

Article written about the Polish Children of Pahiatua for New Zealand School Children in June 1945 by the New Zealand Education Department. Citation: New Zealand School Journal. Wellington [N.Z.: New Zealand Education Dept.], 1937-Vol 39, No 5, Part III June 1945 Source: The Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.

Sister Monica Alexandrowicz, an Ursuline nun, herself deported from Poland in June 1941 - escaped USSR to Iran and came to New Zealand with the 733 Polish children.

Obituary in Polish written for Sister Monika by the Ursuline Nuns of Wilanów

Article from the Evening Post, Wellington New Zealand published on 25 July 1950 showing the United Nations flag being hoisted by girls from the Lyall Bay Hostel, originally from the Pahiatua camp. Photo and article provided by Fairfax Media/EveningPost, New Zealand.

The list of names in the file is an exerpt from: Appendix F of the Book 'New Zealand First Refugees, Pahiatua Polish Children. The complete list is available as a multi page PDF file in the Hall of Memories: ID = 23962

The Polish children on the train to Pahiatua look out the windows as the New Zealand children wave to them.

The portable altar on the recreation hall's stage was a large wardrobe-like cabinet on wheels with folding doors. After Mass it would be shunted aside. It was built in Palmerston North, and eventually ruined by borer and thrown away. Note the Polish traditional Christmas crib on the left.

This picture of Our Lady of Czestochowa, a gift from the 3rd Carpathian Infantry Division to the Polish Children who found shelter in New Zealand during World war II and lived at the Polish Children's Camp, Pahiatua, is permanently displayed at the St. Brigid's Catholic Church at Pahiatua.

The list of names in the file are from: Appendix F of the Book 'New Zealand First Refugees Pahiatua Polish Children.

1945 Pahiatua, New Zealand

In 1944 as the Polish children were leaving Iran, each child was given several books to carry in their personal possession. Barely a few weeks after their arrival at Pahiatua, a library was opened. Most of these books had been printed during the war in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. They were also printed in the United States and given as donations from the Polish Americans. The stamps on the page of the book 'Wybór Poezji' show the journey of this book across the world. 1. Book published in Jerusalem in 1944 on route in effect back to Poland 2. Stamp 'Dyrekcji Państwowego Liceum i Gimnazjum w Isfanie 3. Stamp 'Inspektoratu Szkolnega w Isfahanie 4. Stamp " Delegatury Ministerstwa Pracy i Opieki Społecznej I Oświecenia Publicznego w Nowej Zelandii 5. Stamp Stowarzyszenia Polaków w Nowej Zelandii 6. Stamped as sold by Stowarzyszenia Polaków w Nowej Zelandii

Picture painted in Loreto, Italy by Sergeant major Feliks Krzewiński on 15 August 1944. (Italian Campaign, WWII).

This ship transported the Polish children from Mumbai to Wellington, New Zealand.

The Sontay was a cargo ship which took the Polish refugees on a most uncomfortable journey from Iran to Mumbai, India in September 1944 on their way to New Zealand.

In 1947, Ryszard Gołębiewski was reunited with his father, who arrived with a group of Polish ex-servicemen to claim their children.

Peter Fraser, the New Zealand Prime Minister whose government offered refuge to the Polish Children of pahiatua.

Boys and girls outside the boys hostel at Island Bay.

Map of the Journey from Iran to New Zealand

The Polish Girls Hostel "Ngaroma" in Lyall Bay, Wellington, 1950. It became a focal meeting place for the Polish boys and girls as they grew up. Many marriages resulted from this.

Taking a summer's dip in the Mangatainoka River. (l-r) Krystyna Zagrobelna, Romualda Karpik, Maria Antoniak, Teresa Szczapa, Maria Kośnik, Helena Milczarska, Józefa Aniecka, Weronika Połeć.

Once more into the unknown. Boys the train on the wharf in Wellington for the final part of the journey to Pahiatua.

Two boys sitting on the ship's torpedo. Stanisław Manterys (left) and Michał Petrus (right) upon the USS General Randall's arrival in Wellington. An American crewman looks on. Disk 34442 - Reference No.: F- 3632-1/42 Photographer: John Dobree Pascoe From the John Pascoe Collection, Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, N.Z. Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library must be obtained before any reuse of this image.