These memoirs and two-year diary follow Roman's WWII journey from east to west: from Krasnovodsk's overloaded ship on the Caspian Sea, through Persia's mountains, onto ships, trains and jeeps that take him through Iraq, India, Africa, Great Britain and Canada as one of 2,000 RAF volunteers who have been released from Soviet Union work camps. He describes new experiences in new lands along with the effect that Poland's fate has on his squadron as they engage in air force training and exams, learning a new language, and dating the local girls. Like so many veterans from Poland, politics and war came to define Roman's life.