Defence Medal : Second Lieutenant Z Sobczak, Polish Army

Defence Medal. Unnamed as issued.

Associated with the service of Second Lieutenant Zenon Sobczak of Warsaw, Poland. He was called up from the Reserves to join the Polish Army on 1 September 1939. He took part in the defence of Warsaw during that month and was wounded in action on 25 September. From December 1939 until May 1940 he served with a Polish underground organisation until ordered to flee the country. Sobczak made his way to Beirut, Syria and reported to the Polish authorities there. He was placed under French Command from 10 June 1940. He served with 2 Machine Gun Company, 2 Rifle Regiment, Polish Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade until the capitulation of the French. His unit was then transferred to British command. He took part in the fighting in North Africa, including the battles at Tobruk and was wounded in action for the second time on 25 February 1942. In August 1942 he was posted to Luba Reconnaissance Squadron and sent to the United Kingdom. Later that year he was transferred to 10 Light Field Ambulance, 1 Armoured Division, 1 Polish Corps. In February 1943 Sobczak joined the Field Dressing Station of 1 Armoured Division. From November 1943 until July 1946 Sobczak studied pharmacy in Edinburgh, Scotland. During his study he met a Scottish woman, Janet Mitchell Beatson, whom he married on 25 March 1944. On 19 September 1946 he joined the Polish Resettlement Corps and was discharged on 10 June 1947. On 13 December 1949, Zenon and Janet immigrated to Australia arriving in Melbourne aboard the Toscana on 27 January 1950. Sobczak applied for Australian citizenship later that month, which was granted on 14 July 1952. On 3 July 1956 he changed his name by deed poll to Michael Mackay. The Mackays settled in Adelaide and had three children.