No Bed of Roses

"And then came a very, very sad day for me... 17 April 1942".

In no bed of roses, Teo speaks his story of being taken from his Polish village and forced into labour in Germany during World War II. He recalls the hardship, longing for home and perplexity of having his life turned upside down.

At fifteen, he struggles to cope with work, hunger and cold. He fails in an attempt to go home, sees the Allied Forces advance and at the end of the war, decides he cannot return to Poland, so he emigrates to Australia.

Often the history of everyday ordinary people is lost. This engaging oral narrative is part of Australia's shared history. Told with an endearing innocence and subjective humour, Teo's account will resonate for all Australians and for the many displaced persons and refugees who have made Australia their home.

Helena Bryndzej Studdert served for over 20 years with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, including service as Ambassador to Serbia, Republic of Northern Macedonia, Montenegro and Romania and three years as Australian Consul-General in Bali, Indonesia. She resigned from the Australian Army as a Captain in 1986, returning to university where she gained a First Class Honours and PhD in History. She lives in Western Australia with her husband Martin. Helena enjoys spending time with her grandchildren and travelling. She also works on projects - such as compiling an oral history of her father's life; community volunteering; dabbling in art, walking and swimming.