Centenarian World War II hero Colonel Otton Hulacki – who was a long-term resident of the Isle of Wight – has sadly died.
Otton Hulacki was born on 2nd January 1922 in Lwów (formerly Poland, now Ukraine). He joined the Polish Resistance, following the outbreak of war in 1939, aged just 17.
He was later captured by the Russians (Poland was attacked by both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union) and deported to Kazakhstan.
When the Soviet Union was invaded by Nazi Germany, Otton was released, and he joined the Polish army, taking part in the battles of Monte Cassino, Ancona and Bologna, reaching the rank of Colonel.
Unable to return to Poland when the war ended, because it had fallen behind the Iron Curtain, he settled in the UK and married. He spent his final years in Wootton.
Otton co-founded the Friends of the ORP Błyskawica Society, which commemorates the role of the Polish warship in helping to protect Cowes and East Cowes during the Blitz.
The Polish Embassy has said:
“We mourn the loss of Colonel Otton Hulacki, a valiant WW2 veteran, a soldier of Gen Anders’ 2nd Corps, who has passed away today. Col Hulacki took part in the battles of Monte Cassino, Ancona and Bologna. Our deepest condolences go to his family and friends”.
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It is very sad to read of Otton’s death. He had a magnificent strong spirit all his days. He was the moving force behind the Polish Saturday School that ran until lockdown at Priory School and still attended the Remembrance Day Parade each November in London with the Polish contingent. He incarnated Poland’s indomitable spirit. May he rest in peace.
Thank heavens the United Kingdom welcomed people like Col Hulacki at the end of the war and he was able to settle here. Today he would be called an “illegal immigrant” and shipped off to Rwanda.
Marcus is mistaken Otton was displaced as Lwow (Lviv), where he was born, was moved to the Ukraine, from Poland, by the Yalta agreement.
He was a person to be admired for his resolute stance in many matters concerning Poland and displaced Poles. He phoned me regularly to discuss and keep abreast of Polish matters.