Past Programs
Unrest, Conflict and War - 2008
Michael Sorokin
04/12/2008
Michael Sorokin was born and raised in a small gold-mining town near Johannesburg. Trained as a specialist physician in South Africa and Scotland, he joined the British Overseas Civil Service in the early 1960s.
From his first posting to the Solomon Islands to long years in Fiji, he observed first-hand the dying days of Empire and the often troubled transitions to independence.
Edward Oleszkiewicz Part 2
12/06/2008
Towards the end of the Second World War Edward Oleszkiewicz piloted Lancaster bombers out of Britain. Later when he migrated to Australia he had some interesting encounters with Australian officials who attempted to expel him to East Germany, even though he had fought for the Allies.
In 1943, at the age of 21, he was recruited into the Polish Air Force and trained in Britain as a bomber pilot. Edward's missions flew over Hamburg and Bremen, cities that were already destroyed. By 1944 he claims they were needlessly dropping surplus bombs.
After the war he was given 10 minutes to decide whether to emigrate to Australia. He took his chances here and worked for the Hydro Electric Scheme in Tasmania. However when the authorities would not allow him to socialise with guests at his work camp he and his workmates quit. This led to the threat by the Department of Immigration to send them back to East Germany. After they proved that they had fought for the Allies they were allowed to stay, and Edward went to work at Woomera Rocket Range.
He spent most of his life in Opossum Bay, Tasmania, where he used his skills in building and electronics to make a living. There, under the shadow of Mt Wellington, he was also able to pursue his passion for landscape painting.
Edward Oleszkiewicz Part 1
05/06/2008
Edward Oleszkiewicz had many adventures as a teenager fighting in The Middle East during the second world war. While it was a matter of life, death and harsh conditions he managed to have some laughs as well.
His parents were Polish, although he grew up in Romania. In 1940 he fled the invading Nazi army by being smuggled onto a boat which eventually led him to Haifa, where he joined The Polish Carpathian Brigade.
He fought as a rat of Tobruk, alongside the Australians, under General Leslie Morshead. This required keeping your head down and your wits about you, as they were constantly under seige.
There Edward gained the nickname 'Grenade Eddie' because of his fondness for using hand grenades in all sorts of situations. He also witnessed a memorable encounter between an Australian gunner and a British captain that saw the gunner affectionately call the captain 'Shorty Pants'.
After the war the Australian government invited these Polish Rats of Tobruk to immigrate to Australia because of the relationship they formed on the battlefield with the Australian soldiers.
