Polish ex-servicemen living in Oxfordshire are celebrating 50 years since their association was formed.

The 55-strong group was set up in 1948 and is made up of men who fought in the Polish corps alongside the British army in Italy from 1943 to 1946.

Group members celebrated their birthday with a social evening at Cowley Parish Hall, Oxford, on Saturday.

Tadeusz Dela, 76, of Oxford Road, Cowley, said: "At the moment we have 55 members - we did have more than 100 at one point.

"I have been here since 1947. We were in Italy and after the war we came to Britain. We were part of the Eighth Army. We came over here when we were demobbed because of the communists in Poland." He joked: "We've completed 50 years, but I doubt we'll complete another 50. The youngest member is now 73."

When Mr Dela first arrived in Oxford he lived in the Ministry of War Hospital in the Old Majestic Cinema in Botley Road. He worked in the building trade as a labourer before starting at Pressed Steel, the car body factory, in 1955 where he stayed until he retired.

He and his wife, Beryl, 71, have lived in their Cowley home since 1956.

Another member of the group, Mr Michal Kroczak, 78, came to England in 1946.

He worked as head chef at the Queen's Hotel in Abingdon until he retired in 1986. He and his wife, Katherine, 73, live in Sunningwell Road, Sunningwell, near Abingdon.

Vice-chairman of the Oxford Polish Ex-Combat- ants, Mr Bernard Piasecki, said although they held social evenings most weekends, the anniversary had given them a chance to see members from neighbouring branches.

Mr Piasecki, 73, said: "IThere are not many of us left now so we keep in touch, but it was nice to see some friends from different places."

Mr Piasecki lived in the same hostel as Mr Dela when he first came to Oxford. Later, , but moved to Dorchester on Thames after a few weeks where he started work in the building trade. In 1949 he moved back to Oxford where he worked as a self-employed painter and decorator until his retirement in 1990.

Story date: Monday 22 February

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