Peter was born Zdzislaw Piotr Jarzabkowski in Poland on 17 September 1920. He enlisted in the Polish Army when war broke out in Europe in 1939.
After Poland was overrun by the Germans and Russians in 1939, Peter made his way to France, where he joined other exiled Poles of the Polish Army in France. They prepared to form a Polish Army unit and fight the Germans.
When France signed an armistice with Germany in June 1940, Peter made his way to French Algeria and then to Syria, which was part of the French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon. In 1940, the Polish Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade was formed in Syria, but had to move to British-controlled Palestine when Syria became controlled by the Vichy French.
In Palestine, the Polish brigade became part of the British Army, and Peter soon found himself in Tobruk. The Poles replaced the Australians, who were being withdrawn to return to Australia to fight against Japan.
After Tobruk, Peter participated in the invasion of Italy. Later, in England, he helped train new Polish Army armoured formations and took part in the invasion of Europe attached to the Canadian Army.
Peter was proud to be one of the Rats of Tobruk. His service with the Allies allowed him to migrate to Australia on the back of an Australian Government offer to Polish veterans. He settled in Perth, where he was a member of Riverton RSL Club. He passed away in 2019, aged 98.
