Annual Commemoration of Homage for Fallen Polish Airmen

Annual Commemoration of Homage for Fallen Polish Airmen 

The annual and 64th Commemoration of Homage for Fallen Polish Airmen was held on Saturday, 30 August 2025, at the Polish Air Force Memorial, South Ruislip. The ceremony, which has been organised by the Polish Air Force Memorial Committee (PAFMC) since 2011, opened with a trumpeter sounding the Assembly for the parading of the King’s Colour of the Royal Air Force, the replica Polish Air Force Standard by Officer cadets of the Polish Air Force University, Dęblin and the Standards of Polish Scouts, Guides, Schools and other bodies.

PAFMC Chairman Krzysztof de Berg followed with his opening address, welcoming dignitaries, guests and the public.  The speech is available in full at the link below. His address was followed by the Polish Roll-Call of the Fallen - Apel Poległych, led by Vice Rector Commandant of the Polish Air Force University, Dęblin Col Pilot Andrzej Truskowski and Officer cadets.

Prayers for the Fallen in Polish were then led by Fr Artur Strzępka, Rector of the Polish Catholic Mission in England and Wales and were followed by the Polish Last Post ‘Śpij Kolego’ and dipping of Standards and Banners.

Dignitaries were then invited by Marysia Suchcitz from Związek Harcerstwa Polskiego (Polish Scouting Association) to lay wreaths on the Memorial. These included the Representative Deputy Lieutenant for the London Borough of Hillingdon Ms Manju Malhi, the Mayors of the London Boroughs of Hillingdon, Ealing and Hammersmith and Fulham, the Defence Attaché for the Republic of Poland Col Rafal Nowak and The Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Hav Smyth. These were followed by descendants of the Polish squadrons and units commemorated on the Memorial that flew alongside the RAF from 1940 to 1945 and PAFMC partners. The final wreath was laid by 100-year-old AC1 Marian Słomka, believed to be the last surviving member of the Polish Air Force in the United Kingdom.

Concluding Prayers were led by the Rev S/Ldr Andrew Chapman, Station Chaplin, RAF Northolt, followed by the Last Post, the dipping of Standards and Banners and a minute’s silence ending with Reveille. 

The ceremony ended with the national anthems of Poland and the United Kingdom and marching off of the Standards followed by the playing of ‘White Roses’. Personal wreaths were laid after the ceremony ended. 

Music was provided by musicians of the RAF Central Band with the kind permission of the Air Force Board of the Defence Council.

Invited guests then transferred to RAF Northolt for a reception and lunch in the Officers’ Mess, and were welcomed by Station Commander Gp/Capt Lee Wales. Guests were also addressed by The Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Hav Smyth and Vice Rector Commandant of the Polish Air Force University, Dęblin Col Pilot Andrzej Truskowski, .

Following the lunch, guests were entertained in the Mess by the singers (Vokalinki) and dancers from the Karolinka Polish Folklore Ensemble.

The PAFMC has been organising the Annual Ceremony of Homage to fallen Polish airmen since 2011 after officially succeeding the Polish Air Force Association Charitable Trust (PAFACT), which dissolved at the end of 2010. The PAFMC is the designated successor of the wartime PAF and the organisations, which represented it after the war.

Next year’s Commemoration will take place on Saturday 5 September at 11.00.

Other Polish Air Force heritage sites in Hillingdon can be found at: https://archive.hillingdon.gov.uk/polishtrail

Photos in the slide show are courtesy of Marek Borzęcki.

There were amendments to the Order of Ceremony since the programme was printed.

The ceremony was streamed live and can be viewed on the PAFMC YouTube channel at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPzIVPDbTvk&t=4s