THCXAS DANEK: LIFE AND DEATH

Thomas Danek died on 4 Dec. 1951 (born 11 Dec. 1917). He was killed by a policeman in ambush, with Danek's own gun - during a holdup by Danek in a Toronto drugstore. This is the first I have heard ofia vet being killed in a crime. but then it took more than 30 years for me to hear this; insofar as I know, I was the first U.S. Vet to hear this.

Danek was a Canadian of Ukrainian descent, born in Winnipeg, and raised in Windsor. He fought with the Washington and Lincoln battalions. When the Mac-Paps were formed in latter summer 1937, he remained with the Lincolns, apparently for no particular reason. He is not listed as 3 Canadian serving with the Washington-Lincolns in July 1937, nor otherwise (pp.85—86, Victor Hoar, The Mackenzie-Pgpineau Battalion, 1969).

Danek began as a battalion runner (together with Al Ragner Cfiagowskifi and myself) at the start of Villanueva de la Canada. Right after Brunete's Mesquite Ridge, the 3 of us were transferred into the decimated 3d Company as first—line infantrymen. Al Ragner writes that Danek "was wounded in the rear end" at Brunete. Danek was back in time for Quinto, and then on to - Belchite. Ragner mentions Pina, and does not mention Fuentes del Ebro. We were all together subsequently in the 1st Company at Teruel.

Then at Segura de.los Banos, Ragner remembers Danek being hit in the wrist badly. I remember, instead, Danek returning to our lst Company then, saying that the doctor had offered his hand, Tom had grabbed it and squeezed it so hard that the doctor had to beg him to let go, the result being that Danek was sent back from the hospital to the lines — which,from the shape of Danek's hand then, I thought to be a mistake. Whatever it was, neither Ragner nor I have any recollection of Danek in Spain after that. (The Windsor §tar says Danek was wounded Pslightly in the left arm" in Spain.)

"I knew him fbanefi} as a very courageous fighter ... you could rely on him all the way, a truly great friend and soldier", Ragner.

when England declared war on Nazi Germany,uDanek volunteered from the beginning (Sept. 1939), in the Essex Scottish Regiment, Windsor. gHowever, the sitgkrieg in England (tonwhich Danek was sent in 1940 with the original" detachment) did not suit Danek's temperament, and he got into disciplinary problems. 9