Publisher's Synopsis
An epic story of survival and resilience, spanning two generations, as told by the last of the line of an ancient Polish noble family, based on true accounts and memoirs. From the court of Imperial Russia to Foxley Manor in Herefordshire, the story begins with the First World War. Part One takes the reader through the Russian Revolution to the formation of the Second Polish Republic and the Polish-Bolshevik war. Part Two begins at the outset to World War Two with the German invasion on September 1st, 1939, and the subsequent invasion by the Soviet Union on the 17th of the same month. The reader is taken through the early months of soviet occupation and then on to the first wave of Polish deportations to Siberia. The horrors of deportation and incarceration as prisoners in Siberia are seen through the eyes of Viktor, a boy of just fourteen in 1939. Having witnessed the execution of his father, the son of this Polish officer escapes from the gulag and sets out on a 4,000-mile trek to Persia to join the British Army. After numerous adventures en route, including several wolf attacks, being held prisoner by nomadic tribesmen, and even a wedding, he makes his way to the Caspian Sea and crosses by boat to reach the recently British-occupied territory in Persia. Part Three covers his enlistment in the Polish Army, part of the British Eighth Army, that later became the Polish Second Corps. The reader is taken through his journey from boy to man as he trains as a soldier, eventually seeing action in Italy and being critically wounded at the battle for Monte Cassino. Having survived his wounds, Viktor is recruited by the United Nations Relief and Repatriation Administration and the reader is taken briefly into post-war Germany and Austria. Finally, as part of the Polish Resettlement Corps, Viktor settles in England. The details of the story were recounted by Viktor to his wife when he was already in his seventies, and the interviews by the author were recorded even later, when Viktor was already in his late nineties and his memory almost entirely lost but for the lingering vivid memory of his encounters with the terrifying Siberian wolves of Russia.
"This is a profoundly moving story of one man and his family caught up in the tumultuous events of the Revolution and War years in Europe. An epic journey fraught with violence and remarkable examples of humanity spanning a vast continent. The addition of first-hand transcripts adds another layer of historical authenticity to the work." David Burns - Producer, Eden Films
"I was extremely impressed with this novel, it's an important accomplishment. Weaving the tale of this true story through eye-witness accounts and meticulously detailed research to take us on a fascinating adventure through a chaotic landscape of societal upheaval, personal tragedy, and the political intrigues of war. I found myself carried along on the journey, the writing flows and is vividly descriptive which made it pretty much effortless to read in a few days. Wonderfully absorbing, and informative for history buffs." Rolf Mohr - Lead Concept Artist, Disney
