A heroic Auschwitz survivor and former Stirling Albion star last week celebrated his 100th birthday surrounded by loved ones.
Jan Szpula turned 100-years-old on January 6, and marked the occasion with his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Jan was born and raised in the village of Lasiska Górne, a mining town in the south of Poland, close to the Czech border.
He grew up in a family of five, with father Augustyn and mother Maria as well as older sister and older brother – also named Maria and Augustyn.
Jan’s mother sadly died when he was a youngster and his step mother helped to raise him in Katarzyna – a village in eastern Poland.
At the age of just 16, he joined the Army when the Second World War broke out – walking with his brother and
father more than 125-miles over three days.
He spent time during the war in forced labour in Germany and Auschwitz whilst also spending time with the Polish Army in Poland, Russia, Belgium and France.
Jan’s grandson, Blair, said he has many stories to tell and near death experiences as a member of the Polish 3rd Armoured Division, where he was the equivalent of a Corporal.
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Jan moved to Scotland in 1946, where he was stationed at recovery barracks in Causewayhead.
An avid footballer in the Polish Army, who toured Scotland at the time, Jan was offered a room at the house of Frank Robertson, in Wallace Gardens, Causewayhead.
He later starred for Ayrshire junior side, Beith. Whilst playing for the North Ayrshire outfit, Jan stayed in Causewayhead, where he met his future wife Jean – Frank’s third eldest daughter.
The happy couple were married in 1956 and they had two children, John and Angela, who are both now in their 60s. Jan also has four grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
After leaving Beith Juniors, Jan went on to star for Alloa Athletic before finally signing for the Binos.
However, during the 1949/50 season he contracted tuberculosis which was believed to have been the result of the war and ultimately he had to retire, just as clubs in Scotland and England were interested in signing him.
When he moved to the Stirling area, Jan worked at Rossleigh garages, which was initially at Allan Park and then at Wallace Street as a chauffeur and valeter with the firm. Whilst working at the firm, he often drove luxury cars, including a Rolls Royce for royalty in Edinburgh.
It was at Rossleigh that Jan learned to play golf and this was a great passion of his in his retirement years and he was a member of Dollar Golf Club.
Stirling Albion took time to wish Jan a happy birthday on the big day.
During his spell with the Binos – from September 1948 to May 1950 – he played in the promotion winning team of 1948-49 and part of season 1949-50 in Scotland’s top flight. Jan played 38 games for the Albion, scoring eight goals.
When his football career was cut short, a testimonial match was arranged to raise funds for him.
The match took place in September 1952, with an Albion side losing 5-1 to a Stirlingshire Select side. On his milestone birthday, Jan received a congratulatory birthday card from the King and Queen Consort at home in St Ninians.
When asked Jan’s secret to a long life, grandson Blair said: “Luck and keeping his independence. In his teenage years it was about staying alive and with war wounds to prove it.
“As time went on he had to overcome other issues such as the TB and especially in 1998 when my grandmother Jean sadly passed away.
“He lived on his own since then, doing his own cooking and gardening, but he has a tremendous will to not give up which is instilled in him since wartime Poland.
“In later years he has always sets himself a target and as 100 approached this was his next big target he felt he could get to and he feels lucky to get to it.”
