Polish resistance fighters who fought side-by-side in WWII reunited in care home

Veterans Andrew Borowiec and Ted Stopczynski were part of the Warsaw Uprising against the Nazis

Brothers in arms: Mr Borowiec (right) and Mr Stopczynski (BBC Spotlight)

Two Polish resistance fighters who fought side-by-side as teenagers in World War Two have been unexpectedly reunited in a care home.

Andrew Borowiec and Ted Stopczynski, are now neighbours at Ilford Park Polish Home, a residential and nursing care home for former members of the Polish Forces near Newton Abbot, Devon.

The soldiers, who were born just a few months apart from each other, in 1927 and 1928 respectively, first met 71 years ago when they fought in a Polish resistance unit.

Insurgents fighting on the streets during the Warsaw Uprising (Getty) (Getty Images)

The veterans were part of the Warsaw Uprising, a major operation in the Polish resistance movement which aimed to drive out the occupying Nazi forces and liberate the city before the advancing Soviets could take control.

Clare Thomas, Home Manager at Ilford Park said: “It was an amazing day when Mr Borowiec and Mr Stopcynski made a connection that they had served together more than 70 years ago, and it was great to see that spark of recognition.”

Mr Borowiec and Mr Stopczynski were unaware of each other’s’ residence at the care home and described the meeting as an “enormous coincidence”.

Mr Borowiec said that, at first, he did not recognise his old friend.

He said: "Someone had to tell me who he was, but once I realised who he was I remembered him.

"It is an enormous coincidence - mind you, it's not so impossible for Poles to meet in England because this was our rescue place."

Mr Stopczynski said: "We were very young, but a lot of older people were either locked up, abroad or whatever. We were, to some extent, an exception. We were all scouts, but at the same time we were soldiers."

Ms Thomas added that most of the care home staff had read Mr Borowiec’s memoirs, published in 2014 to tell the story of his war-torn childhood. The soldiers were just 16 at the time of fighting and saw many of the city’s buildings demolished and tens of thousands of people killed and injured when the resistance was defeated by Nazi Germany.