in september 1939, he organized, together with henryk floyar-rajchman, the operation to evacuate 75 tons of gold from the polish national bank through romania, turkey and syria to france, where he and his wife halina konopacka, who assisted him, handed it over to the polish government-in-exile. removed from service by the government of władysław sikorski and compelled by the capitulation of france in june 1940, he set out to seek refuge in the united states. he and konopacka finally arrived there in september 1941, having traveled through spain, portugal and brazil.