TRIBUTES have been paid to decorated war veteran and popular Melksham resident, Walerian Jaworski, who died at the age of 92 last month.
Walerian, or Valek as he was known to some, died at his home in Melksham on 10th March.
Valek was well known in the area for his testimonials of his time during World War II, serving in the Polish Army. He fought as part of the Polish Calvary unit, the Carpathian Lancers, fighting as part of an anti-tank division serving in armoured cars. They fought alongside many other Polish forces to oust Nazis holed up at Monte Cassino, one of the key and most bloody battles of World War II.
Valek was honoured with the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland for his services during the war by a representative of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in London in 2012.
Valek was granted asylum in England following the Soviet occupation of Poland after World War II. In 1947 he met his wife Glynice, and they married in 1953. They have two sons, Mark and Christopher, five grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
Valek’s funeral took place on 22nd March – he was buried in Box cemetery.
