Social Care News

Care home resident's secret Second World War heroism in Poland revealed

The secret history of a resident at a Pembrokeshire care home was revealed when guests at his funeral heard of his heroism in World War Two in the Warsaw Uprising.

John (Janusz) Szuch, who was known as Bob to his friends, died at the age of 91 after a long and brave battle with leukaemia.

He was a resident at a home in Goodwick near Fishguard which is owned by CFW member Prestige Care.

Mr Szuch retired to Goodwick in 1993 with his partner of 34 years, Teresa Feerick – but it turned out even she didn't know much of his war heroism which was revealed in the eulogy given by his newphew.

Mr Szuch was a key figure in the Polish resistance

What many of Mr Szuch's friends did not know was that he was one of the key players in the 1944 Warsaw uprising, when the Polish resistance tried to liberate the city from Nazi Germany.

Mr Szuch's nephew travelled from Poland to give the eulogy at the funeral. He told mourners that his uncle had been a teenage member of the resistance's child army and an important part of the uprising.

His young fiancée had also been a child fighter who was tragically shot during fighting and died in his arms.

Praise from Polish president and a presidential wreath for Mr Szuch

A representative from the Polish Consulate also attended the funeral to speak on behalf of the Polish president and lay a presidential wreath.

He said how important Mr Szuch was to the country, that thousands of people know about him in Poland and that there were displays in the Warsaw Uprising Museum containing his name.

Even for his partner of more than three decades the stories came as somewhat of a revelation.

"He never spoke too much about it," said Mrs Feerick. "He used to say little things but his family knew more about it than we did.

"I knew that his family had tried to help Jewish people get fake documents. John had scars where he had been shot and had had shrapnel all over his body.

"He was a lovely man. It was so nice of his nephew to come here and tell his story."