World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseJózef Zajac was born in Rzeszów, Austria-Hungary (now in southeastern Poland) in 1891. As a student at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland, he joined the Polish pro-independence organization. In 1912, he joined the Riflemen's Association and qualified to become a military officer cadet. In 1914, he joined the Polish Legions and would command a number of regiments during WW1. During the war, he also attended the French Saint-Cyr military college. In 1915, he was awarded a doctorate degree in philosophy from Jagiellonian. Returning to Poland at the end of WW1, he participated in the final phase of the Polish-Soviet War. Starting in 1920, he was subsequently made the chief of staff of the Operational Group Wisla of Polish 5th Army, chief of staff of the Operational Group North of 2nd Army, finally chief of staff of the 3rd Army. In 1922, he was made the chief of staff of the First Department of General Staff. In 1924, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general. In 1925, he was made the First Deputy of the Chief of General Staff. In 1926, he was made the commanding officer of Polish 26th Infantry Division. In 1936, he was made the commanding officer of Kraków Military District and Inspector of the Polish Air Force. In 1937, he started pilot training as he became the Commander of Air Defense. In 1939, he was the Chairman of the Polish Scouting and Guiding Association. In Feb 1939, he was made the commanding officer of the Polish Air Force. When WW2 began for Poland in Sep 1939, after the collapse of the Polish defenses, he withdrew to France, followed by an evacuation to the United Kingdom. In Sep 1940, he was made the deputy commander of Polish I Corps. Between 1941 and Mar 1943, he served in the Middle East, first as the commanding officer of the Polish air forces in the region, and then as the deputy commander of all Polish forces in the region. Between 1943 and 1946, he was the Inspector of Training of the Polish Armed Forces in Western Europe. Remaining in the West after the war, he lived in Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom and entered academia work before moving to Ottawa, Canada. He passed away in Ottawa in 1963.

Photographs

Józef Zajac Timeline