Rank
Born
Service
Unit
Regiment
Date of death
Initially buried
Today buried
Grave

BOREK Antoni
kapr.
69502
17.1.1919 Braunau Lignitz, Germany
1.Pol.Dyw.Panc.
2. P.Panc.
9.11.1945, Knokke, Belgium
Ostende, Belgium, plot 9, row 4, grave 33
Polish War Cemetery, Lommel, Belgium   
III.E.11.

THE STORY OF THE LEGENDARIC ANTONI BOREK.
He was a Pole, who served in the German Army at Knokke, Belgium. 
When Borek realized the Germans were at the point of losing the war, 
he deserted and joined the local resistance-movement, being active 
in the group of Jean Morel.

After the liberation of Knokke he joined the 1st Polish Armoured Division 
and he was in training in England. On the 1st of November 1945, during the 
liberation-festivities at Knokke, he was present there again to be 
decorated by the mayor of Knokke.

About a week later, on the 9th of November 1945, just before midnight, 
Borek, who was drunk, provoked a quarrel with English soldiers in Minerva, 
a dancing-hall. All of a sudden the Pole, who was very quick-tempered,
began to shoot all around with his pistol. Everyone present looked for 
shelter and some English soldiers fled outside, followed by Borek, who 
again shot several times in their direction. 

An English soldier on guard in front of the Cosmopoliet-Hotel shot the 
Pole down. He was heavily wounded, taken to a British hospital at De Haan,
where he died on arriving.

He was a legendaric figure and this sad event caused a lot of commotion!

Sources: Several local publications and "Oral History".

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