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PAF Cadets visit Northwood Graves Previous Next The Cadets placed a wreath on the restored grave of Air Vice Marshal Mateusz Iżycki. He was the wartime General Inspector of the Polish Air Force. The Cadets placed a wreath on the restored grave of Air Vice Marshal Mateusz Iżycki. He was the wartime General Inspector of the Polish Air Force. A wreath was placed on the recently restored gravestone of Gp/Cpt Jerzy Bajan. During the war he was the Senior Polish Liaison Officer RAF Fighter Command and post war the President of the Polish Air Force Association in the UK. The Cadets placed a wreath on the restored grave of Air Vice Marshal Mateusz Iżycki. He was the wartime General Inspector of the Polish Air Force. 1/8 Wednesday, 10 September 2025 PAF Cadets visit Northwood Graves A delegation of Officer Cadets from the Polish Air Force University Deblin, led by Vice Rector Commandant Col pilot Col Pilot Andrzej Truskowski, made a recent visit to Northwood cemetery. They placed wreaths on the graves of Polish Air Force pilots killed during the Second World War in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission section of the cemetery. This was followed with placing a wreath on the restored grave of Air Vice Marshal Mateusz Iżycki. He was the wartime General Inspector of the PAF and also the first Chairman of the Committee, which designed and built the PAF Memorial at South Ruislip. A wreath was also placed on the recently restored gravestone of Gp/Cpt Jerzy Bajan. During the war he was Senior Polish Liaison Officer RAF Fighter Command and post war the President of the Polish Air Force Association in the UK. He was also a temporary Chairman of the committee, which designed and built the PAF Memorial, after Air Vice Marshal Mateusz Iżycki retired. The restoration of both graves was a £3,000 commission from the Polish Air Force Memorial Committee (PAFMC) for stonemason Francis Sancisi. Details of the grave restorations can be found at these links: https://www.polishairforcememorialcommittee.org/news-2024-1/pafmc-undertakes-major-grave-restoration . https://www.polishairforcememorialcommittee.org/news-2025/-polish-airmen%E2%80%99s-grave-restoration-completed- The funding for the restoration of the two headstones was secured from very generous donations raised in Poland, kindly co-ordinated and gathered by Stowarzyszenie Przyjaciół Lotniska Wojskowego Świdwin (Association of Friends of Military Air Base in Świdwin). They conducted a fund-raising campaign and collected funds from various donors for the renovation. Previous Next

edf30e8d-6197-4adc-9b81-3845e8338447 Katyń Commemoration Ceremony Ambassador Piotr Wilczek, with support from the Polish Scouts from the London District, addressed the congregation at the Katyń Memorial in Gunnersbury Cemetery to commemorate the victims of the Katyń genocide in April 1940. Photo courtesy Marek Borzęcki A large congregation gathered at the Katyń Memorial in Gunnersbury Cemetery to commemorate the victims of the Katyń genocide in April 1940. Photo courtesy Marek Borzęcki The Polish Air Force Memorial Committee wreath was placed by Marek Borzęcki. Photo courtesy Marek Borzęcki Ambassador Piotr Wilczek, with support from the Polish Scouts from the London District, addressed the congregation at the Katyń Memorial in Gunnersbury Cemetery to commemorate the victims of the Katyń genocide in April 1940. Photo courtesy Marek Borzęcki 1/6 30 April 2024 Katyń Commemoration Ceremony The annual Ceremony to commemorate the victims of the Katyń genocide in April 1940 was held on 28 April at the Katyń Memorial in Gunnersbury Cemetery, Ealing, West London. The ceremony, organised by The Polish Ex-Combatants Association in Great Britain Trust Fund and assisted by the Polish Scouts, followed Holy Mass at Saint Andrew Bobola’s church, Hammersmith. The Polish Air Force Memorial Committee was represented by Marek Borzecki who laid a wreath on its behalf and aloe provided photographs of the ceremony. On 1 September 1939, Germany attacked Poland, the Polish army fought valiantly but then on 17th September, Germany’s ally, the Soviet Union, attacked from the East. The Polish Army had no chance of defending attacks from two fronts and Poland was divided effectively in half between Germany and the Soviet Union. The Soviets immediately started a programme of Sovietisation, through organised ethnic cleansing and social genocide. Hundreds of thousands of Polish citizens were forcibly deported to the depths of the Soviet Empire, many to their deaths in appalling conditions. Thousands of Polish Officer Prisoners of War, Border Guards, Police, professors, teachers, priests, rabbis, community leaders etc were sent to special camps in Kozielsk, Starobielsk and Ostaszkow and Miednoje plus many other places. In April 1940 at the request of the Head of Stalin’s secret police Beria, Stalin ordered the NKVD to carry out mass executions of these prisoners. 4,500 corpses were later found in mass graves in the Katyń forest, others being executed at other sites. All together approximately 22,000 people were executed. What came to be known as the Katyń Massacre was commemorated by the Polish Community living in exile immediately after the end of World War II. The Polish Community wanted to create a lasting memorial to their murdered brothers, but as a result of Soviet pressure, the British authorities refused permission. The victims of the Katyń genocide had to wait until 1978 when permission was finally granted to erect the Katyń Memorial in Gunnersbury Cemetery. Krzysztof de Berg Previous Next

< Back Memorial to Sgt Josef František VM KW & 3 Bars ČVK DFM & Bar. Sgt Josef František RAF Northolt September 1940. Photo courtesy Wojtek Matusiak. Sgt Josef František next to Hurricane V7289 with 303 Sqn Code RF-S at RAF Northolt September 1940. Photo courtesy Wojtek Matusiak. A colour illustration of 303Sqn Hurricane R4175 RF-R, courtesy of Robert Gretzyngier. Sgt Josef František RAF Northolt September 1940. Photo courtesy Wojtek Matusiak. 1/6 6 Jun 2022 Memorial to Sgt Josef František VM KW & 3 Bars ČVK DFM & Bar. The Polish Air Force Memorial Committee, together with the Embassies of the Republic of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic are delighted to announce that a Memorial to the Czechoslovak pilot Sergeant Josef František, flying with 303 Polish Squadron during the Battle of Britain, will be unveiled later this year close to where he lost his life on the 8th October 1940. The crash site is now part of the Priest Hill Nature Reserve, Epsom, Surrey. It is one of the 6,500 hectares of nature reserves under the stewardship of the Surrey Wildlife Trust, which has kindly granted permission to place the Memorial. It will be located next to a public footpath and near to the crash site. The PAFMC is funding the entire cost of the Memorial. Sgt František was one of the most successful pilots in the Battle of Britain credited with destroying 17 enemy aircraft and one probably destroyed. He was decorated with the Polish Virtuti Militari and Krzyż Walecznych (Cross of Valour) and three bars, posthumously the Czechoslovak Československý válečný kříž 1939 (Czechoslovak War Cross 1939) and the British Distinguished Flying Medal and bar. Sgt František was returning to his base at RAF Northolt from an uneventful routine patrol with 11 other squadron colleagues led by its British commander Sq/Ldr Ronald Kellett. Approaching the area of the Staines Reservoirs Sgt František was seen to veer off to the east and did not respond to radio communication. His Hurricane R4175 Code RF-R crashed onto flat farmland and Sgt František was killed. This was the day after his 26th birthday. The circumstances surrounding this incident were a cause of great concern to the Squadron at the time and the reason for his leaving formation, and the subsequent ill-fated attempted landing, remain a complete mystery and unlikely ever to be solved. Sgt Josef František is buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission area at Northwood Cemetery grave H 246. The Chairman of the PAFMC Richard Kornicki commented: “It is a privilege for us to be able to create a lasting Memorial to Sgt František at the spot where he lost his life. As a Czechoslovak pilot, flying in a Polish Squadron, under a British commander he is a powerful reminder of the international make-up of The Few. We hope that for generations to come, those who walk past the Memorial will pause and remember those to whom they owe their freedom. We are very grateful to the Surrey Wildlife Trust and to the Polish, Czech and Slovak Embassies for their support and co-operation”. The Memorial to Sgt Josef František has been made possible by the extensive detective work of aviation enthusiast Lewis Shelley and Polish Air Force historian and author Peter Sikora. They have spent many years researching and investigating the incident, which included an eyewitness account and are confident the crash site has finally been authoritatively located. More details will be released nearer the date of the Memorial unveiling. Previous Next

Poles fly in for air rally Previous Next A service of commemoration was held at the Polish Air Force Memorial by a group of Polish civilian pilots from the Światowe Stowarzyszenie Lotników Polskich (World Association of Polish Airmen), who flew to the UK in several light aircraft, together with a delegation of around 40 who flew in to RAF Northolt from Poland. A service of commemoration was held at the Polish Air Force Memorial by a group of Polish civilian pilots from the Światowe Stowarzyszenie Lotników Polskich (World Association of Polish Airmen), who flew to the UK in several light aircraft, together with a delegation of around 40 who flew in to RAF Northolt from Poland. The Polish pilots and delegation from the Światowe Stowarzyszenie Lotników Polskich, led by its president Lt Gen (Ret) pilot Tadeusz Mikutel, 3rd from the right, were welcomed at the Polish Air Force Memorial by the PAFMC and Polish Embassy. A service of commemoration was held at the Polish Air Force Memorial by a group of Polish civilian pilots from the Światowe Stowarzyszenie Lotników Polskich (World Association of Polish Airmen), who flew to the UK in several light aircraft, together with a delegation of around 40 who flew in to RAF Northolt from Poland. 1/4 Saturday, 31 May 2025 Poles fly in for air rally. A group of Polish civilian pilots from the Światowe Stowarzyszenie Lotników Polskich (SSLP) (World Association of Polish Airmen) based in Warsaw, flew to the UK in several light aircraft as part of an air rally, which took place from 19 to 31 May. They departed from Warsaw’s Babice Airport and landed at several airfields where Polish Air Force pilots were based during the Second World War. On the 29 May they were joined by a delegation of around 40 who flew in to RAF Northolt from Poland. This was led by SSLP president Lt Gen (Ret) pilot Tadeusz Mikutel and were met on the apron and welcomed by Krzysztof de Berg, chairman of the Polish Air Force Memorial Committee (PAFMC), and Deputy Defence Attachés Robert Pawlicki and Mariusz Piotrowski from the Polish Embassy. The delegation transferred to the nearby Polish Air Force Memorial at South Ruislip for a short service of commemoration. Following a welcome address by Krzysztof de Berg and response from Lt Gen (Ret) pilot Tadeusz Mikutel, wreaths were laid at the Memorial prior to the delegation’s return to RAF Northolt and flight back to Poland. The group of civilian pilots returned to Poland in their light aircraft on Saturday 31 May. Previous Next

Tribute to Polish 303 Squadron in US Museum 1/2 23 February Tribute to Polish 303 Squadron in US Museum A group of Poles and Americans in the US state of Connecticut have teamed up to organize an exhibition in the New England Air Museum, one of the largest aviation museums in the US, to create a permanent display and multi-media exhibition paying tribute to the Polish 303 Kościuszko Squadron. The New England Air Museum and the Polish Studies Program at the Central Connecticut State University, have jointly launched a campaign to raise $125,000 to design and install the exhibition in the Museum, which will present the story of 303 Kościuszko Squadron in a modern, multi-media educational format. The project is scheduled to open in 2021. The organizing committee, led by historian Professor Mieczysław Biskupski, is collecting memorabilia for the exhibition and needs photographs and memoirs to portray the history of 303 Kościuszko Squadron to a wider American public. More details are available at this link: https://www.neam.org/shell.php?page=exhibit_kosciuszko Previous Article Next Article

The Polish D-Day Story 1/1 12 May The Polish D-Day Story The 307 Squadron Project is holding a special two-day event ‘The Polish D-Day Story’ at the D-Day Museum in Portsmouth on Saturday 19 June and Sunday 20 June 2021. The event will explain the important story of the Polish involvement on D-Day and during the Normandy Campaign. ‘The Polish D-Day Story’ will be open at the museum’s normal entry price from 11.00am - 3.30pm on Saturday 19 June, and from 11:00am - 3.00pm on Sunday 20 June. The official opening will take place at circa 11.10am on Saturday 19 June, hopefully by a representative from the Polish Embassy with invitations also to the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, the city's two MPs and lead councillors. The opening will include a short film plus a guided tour to VIPs of the exhibition. The Polish D-Day Story, promoting British-Polish friendship and cooperation, will include an exhibition in both English and Polish detailing the Polish D-Day Story, archive video material plus information on 307 Squadron. The D-Day Story museum is on the Clarence Esplanade, Portsmouth PO5 3NT and strictly adheres to current Government Covid guidelines and queue numbers will be managed. The venue has achieved the new Visit England national standard ‘We’re Good To Go’. More information can be found on the museum’s website: https://theddaystory.com/covid-19-faqs/ A saving of 10% off the admission price is available by booking tickets in advance at this link: https://ddaystory.merlintickets.co.uk/product/GENENTRY Previous Article Next Article

Katyń Memorial Service Previous Next The annual commemoration was attended by around 300 people, including the Polish Ambassador HE Piotr Wilczek, Vice-Consul Anna Tarnowska-Waszak and Defence Attaché Col. Rafał Nowak. Photo courtesy Marek Borzęcki. The annual commemoration was attended by around 300 people, including the Polish Ambassador HE Piotr Wilczek, Vice-Consul Anna Tarnowska-Waszak and Defence Attaché Col. Rafał Nowak. Photo courtesy Marek Borzęcki. PAFMC Chairman Krzysztof de Berg discussing the ceremony with the Defence Attaché Col. Rafał Nowak. The annual commemoration was attended by around 300 people, including the Polish Ambassador HE Piotr Wilczek, Vice-Consul Anna Tarnowska-Waszak and Defence Attaché Col. Rafał Nowak. Photo courtesy Marek Borzęcki. 1/6 Friday, 2 May 2025 Katyń Commemoration Ceremony The 85th Anniversary to commemorate the victims of the Katyń genocide in April 1940 was held on Sunday 27 April at the Katyń Memorial in Gunnersbury Cemetery, West London. The ceremony, organised by The Polish Ex-Combatants Association in Great Britain Trust Fund and assisted by the Polish Scouts, was conducted by Ceremony Marshall Jacek Bernasinski. The annual commemoration was attended by around 300 people, including the Polish Ambassador HE Piotr Wilczek, Vice-Consul Anna Tarnowska-Waszak and Defence Attaché Col Rafał Nowak . The Polish Air Force Memorial Committee was represented by the Chairman Krzysztof de Berg, Julian Kowalski and Marek Borzecki who laid a wreath on its behalf. On 1 September 1939, Germany attacked Poland. The Polish army fought valiantly, but on 17 September, Germany’s ally, the Soviet Union, attacked from the East. The Polish Army had no chance of defending attacks from two fronts and Poland was divided effectively in half between Germany and the Soviet Union. The Soviets immediately started a programme of Sovietisation, through organised ethnic cleansing and social genocide. Hundreds of thousands of Polish citizens were forcibly deported to the depths of the Soviet Empire, many to their deaths in appalling conditions. Thousands of Polish officer prisoners of war, border guards, police, professors, teachers, priests, rabbis and community leaders were sent to special camps in Kozielsk, Starobielsk and Ostaszkow and Miednoje, plus many other places. In April 1940, at the request of the Head of Joseph Stalin’s secret police Lavrentiy Beria, Stalin ordered the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (NKVD), to carry out mass executions of these prisoners. Around 4,500 corpses were later found in mass graves in the Katyń forest, others being executed at other sites. In all approximately 22,000 people were executed. What came to be known as the Katyń Massacre was commemorated by the Polish Community living in exile immediately after the end of the Second World War. The Polish Community wanted to create a lasting memorial to their murdered comrades, but as a result of Soviet pressure, the British authorities firstly refused permission. The victims of the Katyń genocide had to wait until the 1970s when permission was finally granted to erect the Katyń Memorial in Gunnersbury Cemetery, which was unveiled on 18 September 1976. Previous Next

Plumetot Memorial Plumetot Memorial Unveiled The Plumetot Memorial was unveiled in the small Normandy village of Plumetot on Sunday 9 June 2019, as part of the events commemorating the 75th Anniversary of D-Day. The Memorial commemorates the Polish 131 Fighter Wing, comprising 302, City of Poznan, 308 City of Kraków, and 317, City of Wilno Squadrons, which flew from Plumetot in August and September 1944 as the first units of the Polish Air Force to be based in France since 1940; more widely it marks the role played by fighter and bomber squadrons in helping secure the liberation of Normandy and of France. The proceedings opened with the raising of the national flags of Poland, France and the United Kingdom accompanied by the respective national anthems. This was followed by a welcome address by M. Jean-Pierre Tarlet, Maire of Plumetot, a fly past by a 317 Squadron Spitfire and a Casa transport aircraft of the French Air Force and a speech by Polish Air Force Memorial Committee Chairman Richard Kornicki on the origin and purpose of the Memorial. Several speeches followed prior to the unveiling of the Memorial. This was followed by a roll call of the fallen, laying of wreaths, the Last Post, a minute’s silence, national anthems, a trumpet solo, an inspection of Colour Parties and a reception. The Memorial and its creation has been generously supported by the Polish Institute of National Memory, which funded the steel work in Kraków, together with other organisations and individuals in Britain, France and Poland. The Polish Embassy in Paris have also been involved at every stage of the Memorial, which was designed by architect Alexander Smaga following an international competition. Speeches Photos

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Crash Sites of Fallen Polish Air Force airmen during the Battle of Britain

2014 August We are very pleased to announce that Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton, formerly Chief of the Air Staff, has accepted the position of Patron of the Polish Air Force Memorial Committee. 30 August Memorial plaque to Wing Commander Ronald Kellett DSO DFC VM and 303 Polish Kościuszko Squadron A memorial plaque to Wing Commander Ronald Kellett DSO DFC VM AE* and the 303 Polish Kościuszko Squadron that he formed and commanded during the Battle of Britain, was unveiled at a service held at St George’s Church, Benenden, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 4DL, at 12 noon on Saturday 30th August 2014. The plaque has been designed and carved by Geoffrey Aldred who is a member of the charity Memorials by Artists. The shape of the Nabresina stone tablet reflects the wing of a Hurricane aircraft, which 303 Sqn flew during the Battle of Britain, and the carving at the top of the plaque depicts a Hurricane flying past the Fairlight Cliffs, East Sussex. On 19th July 1940 the 30 year old Sqn/Ldr Kellett was posted from 249 Squadron to RAF Northolt where he was to jointly form and command the legendary 303 Sqn with his Polish counterpart Sqn/Ldr Zdzisław Krasnodębski. The Poles had started arriving in England in December 1939 after the defeat of France and placed in camps where they were taught English; following this they were sent on to Operational Training Units. However, they were not permitted to go into combat, which they found extremely frustrating, as they were already experienced in aerial combat and they were determined to fight for the freedom of Poland. Britain was their “Last Hope Island”. Kellett had his work cut out, on the one hand there was the language problem, the English that the Poles had picked up was colloquial and was not useful for flying. Kellett, however, was fluent in French and he could, therefore, communicate with some of the officers. On the other hand because the Poles were desperate to fight the Germans they wanted to go into combat immediately despite the fact that certain aspects of the Hurricane were different to those of the aircraft they had flown in Poland and France. For instance they weren’t used to retractable undercarriages, the throttle operation was different and their radios had been more primitive. Kellett and Krasnodębski, worked together in training and disciplining the unit. Ingenuity and creative thinking were used to get the results required. Kellett and Krasnodębski were also supported by two English speaking Flight Commanders, F/Lt John Kent (Canadian) and F/Lt Athol Forbes. On 30th August 1940 Kellett was leading 303 Sqn’s ‘B’ Flight on a routine practice interception of a formation of Bristol Blenheims north of London when F/O Ludwik Paszkiewicz spotted a Luftwaffe bomber formation flying eastward and covered by a fighter escort. Paszkiewicz broke ranks and intercepted a Messerschmitt Bf 110, which he shot down. Despite Paszkiewicz disobeying orders, it proved to Kellett that the Squadron was combat ready and he pressed Northolt Station Commander Group Captain Stanley Vincent and Fighter Command Head Quarters for full operational status. Permission was granted and 303 Sqn became fully operational on 31st August 1940. The Squadron, serving in 11 Group, went on to become the most successful fighter unit during the 16 weeks of the Battle of Britain. In only six weeks of combat 303 Sqn claimed 126 victories for the loss of eight of its pilots. "Had it not been for the magnificent material contributed by the Polish squadrons and their unsurpassed gallantry, I hesitate to say that the outcome of the battle would have been the same." - Air Chief Marshall Sir Hugh Dowding, Commander of RAF Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain. Kellett was born in Eldon, County Durham on 13th September 1909. He moved with his family to Benenden in August 1948. Some members of his family live in Benenden to this day. Those attending the service were members of the Kellett family, Cllr David Elliott, Deputy Mayor of Tunbridge Wells, Air Vice Marshall Sir Frederick Sowrey, Consul Ms Ines Czajczyńska-da Costa (Embassy of the Republic of Poland), Colonel Ryszard Tomczak, Polish Defence Attaché, 303 Sqn relatives, Group Captain P Tootal OBE DEL RAF (Ret'd), the Hon Secretary of the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust, Richard Kornicki CBE, Chairman of the Polish Air Force Memorial Committee and Battle of Britain Historians. The Service was led by Rev Rosemary Kobus van Wengen and by RAF Northolt Station Chaplin, Revd (Sqn/Ldr) Philip Corrigan.

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