Leon Lifsches in the Polish military hospital

This photo was taken in a Polish military hospital in Moscow, where I worked from October to December 1944 as a propagandist. The third from left is my friend, Heniek Gordon, who died 1988 in Warsaw.

We were in Tashkent until 12th May 1943, after which date we left the city to join the 1st Division. Me and Iziek fought in the Battle of Lenino, and my brother was killed virtually a couple of steps away from me.

I was the second in command of the regiment’s medical company. I personally took part in taking wounded soldiers away from the front line under enemy fire. During one such excursion to the front line I was heavily wounded. I went through several hospitals between October and May, and eventually found myself in a Polish hospital in Moscow, where I underwent the final surgery.

After being released from the hospital, I was sent back to the front, to the headquarters, in Lutsk, Ukraine, and from there I went with the army as an officer, already wounded in battle, with the back units. I took part in the liberation of Lublin, and then in the liberation of Warsaw.