Post by KG on Jan 16, 2013 18:12:31 GMT
Hello Sir
My name is Nicholas, I am a seaman in the Royal Australian Navy of Polish descent.
I am trying to find information about a former crewmember of my great grandfather, they both served together on the ORP Krakowiak a Polish destroyer in WW2.
The person in question is Henryk Olko, I found very little information on him apart from this article:
Henryk ``Harry'' Olko
Family announcements: War hero Harry will be missed by many; The death of... ...Henryk ``Harry'' Olko, who was born in Golice, Poland, on January 29, 1915, and died in Barry on July 16, 2002.
HENRYK Olko came to Barry in 1947 and over the years he lived there, he became as much a part of the town as those who were Barry born and bred.
Almost everyone in and around Barry Docks knew him as Harry the Pole, although few ever knew his real name.
Few people also knew that the imposing and often boisterous character was also a war hero.
Harry joined the Polish Navy before World War II. When Poland fell to the Germans in 1939, Polish vessels were unable to return to their home ports.
Harry came to work alongside the British Navy, serving on Polish ships Blitzowiska and Krakowiak throughout the war. Among other British medals he was awarded the highest military honour available to a Pole by the British - the Virtuti Militari, equivalent to the Victoria Cross.
He was given the honour for helping to pull seamen from the water after their vessels were torpedoed, and was shown on historical television series All Our Yesterdays receiving the medal from then Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Forces, General Sirkorski.
After the war, Harry joined the British Merchant Navy and made Barry his base for shipping out. Between voyages, he was a familiar face in gentlemen's outfitters Tsoflias in Dock View Road, where he split his time between working and talking to passers-by.
When he retired, he became a well-known customer of seamen's pubs the Barry Dock Hotel, also known as the Chainlocker, and the Foc'sle Head.
Friend and former Merchant Navy comrade David Phipps said: ``He was a big bloke and hard as nails.
``He was also an intelligent guy. You didn't argue with him because he would always win.''
Harry had a great number of friends, ex-shipmates and neighbours who attended his funeral on July 26.
The service was led by the chaplain to the Barry branch of the Merchant Navy Association, Rev Malcolm Davies, who provided a standard bearer and a guard of honour for the Polish war hero.
Henryk Olko according to my great grandfather letters was the first enlisted seaman in the Polish Navy to be awarded a Virtuti Militari. Polands highest award and there is no information or even a photograph anywere and I would like to research his person and write a article about him for the Polish Navy magazine and wikipedia so his service does not be forgotten.
Nicholas.