Commonwealth War Graves Commission to replace Polish pilot’s headstone 1/1 2 March Commonwealth War Graves Commission to replace Polish pilot’s headstone The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has confirmed that the incorrect Royal Air Force style headstone, on the grave of Polish Air Force fighter pilot F/O Franciszek Gruszka in Northwood Cemetery, is to be replaced with the correct Polish style headstone. This may take sometime to complete due to the current Coronavirus situation. The CWGC commemorates casualties by nationality of service rather than by nationality of casualty. Although F/O Franciszek Gruszka was of Polish nationality, the CWGC believed he was serving with the RAF rather than the PAF at the time of his death during the Battle of Britain. As such he was commemorated as a Commonwealth casualty with an RAF style headstone, rather than an allied casualty with a Polish style headstone. During the war the PAF in the UK was its own independent sovereign air force operating under the constitutional control of the Polish Government in exile, but under the operational command of the RAF. The initial influx of Polish airmen from France to England in early 1940 had to join the RAF’s Volunteer Reserve. However, they all soon transferred to the PAF in early August 1940 following the Anglo-Polish agreement, signed by both governments on 5 August 1940, to give separate independent status to the PAF. At the time of his death F/O Franciszek Gruszka was serving with the RAF’s 65 Squadron at Hornchurch and was shot down and killed during the Battle of Britain on 18 August 1940. He was the seventh of the 31 operational PAF pilots killed during the Battle. The location of the crash site remained a mystery for over 33 years. However, from information in the book The Polish ‘Few’ by Peter Sikora, F/O Franciszek Gruszka’s Spitfire I R6713 and his remains were recovered from Grove Marsh, near Preston Village, Kent on the 15 April 1974. F/O Franciszek Gruszka was subsequently buried in grave H202 in Northwood Cemetery on 17 July 1975 with an RAF style headstone. It is thanks to the PAFMC’s historical adviser Wojtek Matusiak who indicated the incorrect headstone that enabled the PAFMC to submit a request to the CWGC to replace the headstone with the correct one of Polish style. Previous Article Next Article

8fd56daa-7dab-416a-93e0-c613d03ef809 Annual Commemoration of Homage for Fallen Polish Airmen < Back 1/32 10 September 2023 Annual Commemoration of Homage for Fallen Polish Airmen The annual and 62nd Commemoration of Homage for Fallen Polish Airmen was held on Saturday, 2 September 2023, at the Polish Air Force Memorial, South Ruislip. The ceremony, which has been organised by the Polish Air Force Memorial Committee (PAFMC) since 2011, was opened with three passes of the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s Hurricane LF363 painted in the colours of 303Sqn with the Code RF-J. The flypast concluded with the Trumpeter sounding the Assembly for the parade of the replica Polish Air Force Standard, the King’s Colour of the RAF, Officer Cadets from the Polish Air Force University, Dęblin and the Standard of the Polish Scouts and Guides, Polish Schools and other bodies. PAFMC Chairman Richard Kornicki CBE DL followed with his opening address, welcoming dignitaries, veterans, 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, by Capt Gołdowski and Officer Cadets of the Polish Air Force University, Dęblin. Prayers for the Fallen in Polish were then led by Fr. Bogdan Kołodziej, Rector of the Polish Catholic Mission in England and Wales followed by the Polish Last Post Śpij Kolego and dipping of Standards and Banners. Dignitaries were then invited to lay wreaths on the Memorial followed by veterans and descendants of the Polish Squadrons and Units commemorated on the Memorial that flew alongside the RAF from 1940 to 1945 and PAFMC partners. Concluding Prayers were be led by the Rt Rev Paul Mason, Catholic Bishop to HM Armed Forces followed by the Last Post, the dipping of Standards and Banners and a minute’s silence ending with Reveille. The ceremony ended with the Polish and UK national anthems and withdrawal 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 Jon Hough: "At a time of tension between East and West, personal relations between NATO allies are more important than ever, so I welcome you all most warmly to RAF Northolt where the relationship between our two Air Forces was founded in 1940 and where the bonds between young officers are being woven again today." The Hurricane from the Polish Heritage Flight’s Historic Aircraft Collection at Duxford, now in the colours of Polish 302 Sqn, provided a flypast then landed and parked close to the Officers’ Mess. The starboard side has been finished as P2954 with the code WX-E, the Hurricane flown by F/Lt Tadeusz Chlopik, while the port side represents P3935 code WX-D, the aircraft of F/Lt and later W/Cdr Julian Kowalski. The Ceremony was streamed live on the PAFMC Facebook page and is available to view at this direct link https://www.facebook.com/PAFMemorialCommittee/videos/865314591622954 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 war-time PAF and the organisations, which represented it after the war. Next year’s Commemoration will take place on Saturday 7 September 2024 at 12.00. 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, unless otherwise stated. Programme .pdf Download PDF • 15.40MB Speech of Richard Kornicki .pdf Download PDF • 28KB Speech of Col pil. Wojciech Wróblewski .pdf Download PDF • 39KB Previous Next

eb947cf1-b449-4b01-a234-0646e2520334 Plumetot D-Day Commemoration. The Plumetot Memorial was unveiled on 9 June 2019. The Plumetot Memorial was unveiled on 9 June 2019. 1/1 19 March 2024 Plumetot D-Day Commemoration. For the 80th anniversary of D-Day the Commune of Plumetot will be holding a commemoration ceremony at the Polish Air Force Memorial at 10.00 on Friday 7 June. PAFMC will be laying wreaths for the three Polish Squadrons stationed there. 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. Previous Next

The initial idea to erect a monument in memory of Polish airmen killed in action was first mooted in 1943 by Polish airmen based at RAF Northolt. The suggestion was for a small tablet to be placed within the aerodrome boundary with the names of the 31 Polish Air Force fighter pilots, including the Czech pilot Sgt Josef František, killed during the Battle of Britain. However, as the war progressed with increasing casualties, this concept was abandoned in favour of exploring a suitable alternative to honour all Polish airmen killed in action while under the command of the Royal Air Force during the war. Shortly after the war in Europe ended, some senior Polish Air Force officers formed a committee in the early summer of 1945 to co-ordinate the project to erect a Memorial. Chairman of this ‘Committee for the Erection of the Polish Air Force Memorial’ and the last Commander of the Polish Air Force in the West, was Air Vice Marshal Mateusz Iżycki. He was joined and supported by secretary Wing Commander Stefan Łaszkiewicz, treasurer Flight Lieutenant Włodzimierz Osiatyński and members Group Captain Jerzy Bajan and Group Captain Aleksander Gabszewicz. The Committee invited RAF Air Chief Marshal Sir Roderic Hill to become its Honorary Chairman and also co-opted RAF Northolt Station Commander Group Captain Richard Ford onto the Committee. Coincidentally the famous Polish sculptor Mieczysław Lubelski was in London at the time, having recently been liberated from a German forced labour camp. Mieczysław Lubelski had previously created several monuments in Poland and was also active in Poland’s Home Army during the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. The Committee engaged Mieczysław Lubelski to design and plan the Memorial, which was budgeted to cost around £3,000. The Committee needed to raise funds and a public appeal was launched in July 1946 by the British newspaper publisher William Berry, 1st Viscount Camrose. This was supported by Marshals of the RAF 1st Viscount Portal of Hungerford and 1st Viscount Trenchard of Wolfeton. They wrote separate letters of support, published in the newspaper The DailyTelegraph, appealing to the British people to show their gratitude to the Polish airmen who flew in the Battle of Britain and the Battle of Europe. The fund raising was a huge success and by the end of 1946 the Committee had collected over £8,172, which included contributions from Polish and RAF veterans. At the same time the Committee was faced with some unexpected issues. Northolt aerodrome was being redeveloped and transferring to civilian control and the original site for the Memorial on the airfield lost its importance. The Committee had difficulty finding an alternative site in London and eventually reverted to seeking a location close to Northolt aerodrome. Middlesex County Council came to the rescue and donated a site on a peppercorn rent for 999 years where the Memorial now stands. The Ministry of Civil Aviation insisted the planned height of the Memorial be reduced by 4 feet. Also the Committee adopted a suggestion to include the names of the Polish airmen killed in action during the war under British command. Mieczysław Lubelski adapted his original simple design to accommodate the required reduction in height and the additional names, to be engraved on a stonewall directly behind the monument. By the end of 1947 the Committee had received all the necessary approvals and permissions from Middlesex County Council, and the local Ruislip and Northwood Urban District Council generously agreed to take on the future care of the monument. The casting of Mieczysław Lubelski’s sculptured bronze eagle and all lettering on the Memorial, was assigned to Morris Singer Company Ltd, recognised as the oldest fine art foundry in the world. The Memorial foundations and the associated stonework were entrusted to the specialist horticultural, estate and garden contractor William Wood & Son Ltd. The supply of stone and construction of the main Obelisk was contracted to Bath and Portland Stone Firms Ltd. Further unexpected issues arose, as the construction cost had considerably increased beyond the original estimate. To compensate for the rise it was agreed to substitute the Portland stone in the base of the Memorial with York stone. Also at the end of 1947 the Committee chairman Air Vice Marshal Mateusz Iżycki retired from active service and left the country. His role temporarily passed to Group Captain Jerzy Bajan, who a few months later had to relinquish the post for health reasons. The chairmanship was then taken on by Air Commodore Stanisław Karpiński in June 1948. Construction of the Memorial started in May 1948 and the foundation stone was laid in the presence of the Committee and other former Polish Air Force dignitaries. It was blessed by the Polish Air Force Chaplain Reverend Rafał Gogoliński-Elston. He had originally suggested the inscription on the rear of the Memorial, while Group Captain Aleksander Gabszewicz suggested the prominent Polish and English inscriptions on the front. Three and a half years after the war ended the Polish Air Force Memorial was unveiled on 2 November 1948, All Soul’s Day. The unveiling was performed by RAF Chief of the Air Staff Sir Arthur Tedder in the presence of Marshal of the RAF Lord Portal, the President of the Polish Republic in Exile August Zaleski and various dignitaries from the British Government and Polish, British and American Armed Forces and around 3,000 guests. The Polish Air Force Chaplain Reverend Rafał Gogoliński-Elston led the prayers after which wreaths were laid. The Committee for the Erection of the Polish Air Force Memorial, having achieved its objective, was subsequently disbanded. The responsibility for the Memorial, and the organisation of the annual ceremony of homage to the fallen Polish airmen, passed to the Polish Air Force Association (Initially Samopomoc Lotnicza, later known as Stowarzyszenie Lotników Polskich). The Polish Air Force Association was also formed in the summer of 1945, separate from the Memorial Erection Committee, primarily to look after the interests of the former Polish Air Force personnel in Exile. The Polish Air Force Association worked closely with Ruislip and Northwood Urban District Council, who generously maintained the Memorial for the next 17 years. In 1965, after the reformation of local government in London, the ownership and care and maintenance of the Memorial transferred to the newly formed London Borough of Hillingdon, an amalgamation of local areas, which included the Ruislip and Northwood Urban District Council. In the 1970s the Memorial faced an uncertain future, as plans emerged for it to be dismantled and rebuilt in an unspecified location. The area occupied by the Memorial was required as part of a major road improvement scheme at the junction of the A40 and A4180. Public meetings were held and local residents strongly objected to removing the Memorial. The protests were eventually successful and the junction improvement scheme was redesigned, leaving the Memorial intact and in its present format. In 1994 the Polish Air Force Association formed a ‘Memorial Renovation Committee’ to oversee necessary repairs, improvements and the restoration of the Memorial under the chairmanship of Tadeusz Dziewulski. An appeal was made to the public to help fund the renovation. This included a drainage system, the replacement of crumbling sandstone walls with granite and the addition of the names of Polish airmen killed in non-operational flights, bringing the total to 1877. An inscription was also added on the outer wall with the names of the 23 Polish airmen killed during the French campaign of 1940. The restored Memorial was rededicated on 6 September 1996 at the annual ceremony of homage to the fallen Polish airmen. This was in the presence of HRH the Duke of Gloucester and numerous British and Polish civilian and military dignitaries. These included Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir John Grandy, Air Chief Marshal Sir Frederick Rosier, who was Northolt Station Commander between September 1943 and March 1944, Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Air Force, Divisional General Kazimierz Dziok, Air Vice Marshal Alexander Meisner, the Polish Ambassador in London, Ryszard Stemplowski and the last President of Poland in Exile Ryszard Kaczorowski. The Memorial was again refurbished in 2010 in time for the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain and the annual ceremony to commemorate the fallen Polish airmen. The Polish Air Force Association Charitable Trust was disbanded in 2010 having fulfilled its obligation to look after the interests of former Polish Air Force personnel in Exile. The London Borough of Hillingdon retained ownership of the Memorial, while the responsibility for arranging the annual September ceremony passed to the new Polish Air Force Memorial Committee, which was formed by the Polish Air Force Association Charitable Trust as its designated and sole successor in this and other key remaining functions. In 2020 the London Borough of Hillingdon carried out further extensive refurbishment to the Memorial. This work included replacing the paved area around the ornamental pond with Yorkstone, major improvements to the drainage system and the restoration of many of the names of the fallen airmen engraved on the two granite walls. Also in 2020 Historic England amended and upgraded The Polish Air Force Memorial on the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest from Grade II to Grade II* status. Photos and relevant extracts from the magazine Skrzydła (Wings) in the slide show below, can be viewed and enlarged by double clicking the image then the arrows. If anyone has photographs of the Memorial under construction or early ceremonies they would like to share and be included in the album, please contact the PAFMC via email on the Contacts page. This post has been compiled from references to the two books Destiny Can Wait and The Polish Air Force At War - The Official History. The Polish Air Force Memorial Committee also acknowledges with thanks the considerable help of the London Borough of Hillingdon, Piotr Sikora, Wojtek Matusiak, Wojciech Zmyślony, Richard Kornicki, Nina Britton Boyle, RAF Northolt and Peter Devitt and Ewan Burnet at the RAF Museum, Hendon. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, but if anyone identifies any errors please advise the PAFMC via the email on the Contacts page. The front of the Polish Air Force Memorial prior to its major renovation in 1996. (Piotr Sikora archive) Skrzydła (Wings) no 479 (1 Apr 1946) page 8. Group Captain Aleksander Gabszewicz’s son Stefan Gabszewicz laid the wreath for 316 Squadron at the 59th Ceremony of Homage to Fallen Polish Airmen on 5 September 2019. Crown copyright. The front of the Polish Air Force Memorial prior to its major renovation in 1996. (Piotr Sikora archive) 1/44 The History of the Memorial

Polish pilots’ Memorial replaced 1/10 11 May Polish pilots’ Memorial replaced A replacement memorial to two Polish fighter pilots, P/O Mieczysław Waszkiewicz and P/O Bogusław Mierzwa, has been erected in the Dungeness Estate, Kent close to where they were killed. On the 16 April 1941 P/O Mieczysław Waszkiewicz and P/O Bogusław Mierzwa from 303 Kościuszko Squadron at RAF Northolt were escorting Blenheim bombers on a raid to Berck-sur-Mer in the Pas-de-Calais region of the French coast. On their return they were attacked by German fighters and both were shot down and killed. P/O Mieczysław Waszkiewicz in Spitfire IIA P8039 with the code RF-R went into the Channel near the Dungeness coast and his body was never recovered. P/O Bogusław Mierzwa in Spitfire IIA P7819 with code RF-S crashed on the shore at Dungeness close to where the memorial is sited. Both pilots are recognised on the Polish Air Force memorials at South Ruislip and Warsaw. P/O Bogusław Mierzwa is buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission section at Northwood cemetery grave H209. EDF Energy, which now owns the Dungeness Estate, generously funded the replacement and erected the memorial on the 15 April. The following day and the 80th Anniversary of the pilots’ death the new memorial was commemorated in a small service. This was led by the vicar of Lydd Rev Chris Maclean with curator Jackie Darling followed by laying of wreaths by Colin Clayton, who has maintained and cared for the site for many years and Michael Golding, who laid wreaths on behalf of local residents and the local branch of the British Legion. Previous Article Next Article

Inaugural Roman Catholic Mass at St Clement Danes Church 1/4 27 October Inaugural Roman Catholic Mass at St Clement Danes Church For the first time, Holy Mass was celebrated on 21 October at the Central Church of the Royal Air Force, St Clement Danes, by the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Forces. This Mass in St Clement Danes was an opportunity for the RAF Roman Catholic community to gather with the Bishop of the Forces, the Rt Rev Paul Mason, the Principal Roman Catholic Chaplain, Rev (Sqn Ldr) Dave Skillen, and the RAF RC Chaplains to celebrate the Eucharist at the perpetual shrine of remembrance to all those who have died in service in the RAF. It was a solemn and memorable occasion with the intention of this becoming an annual event. St Clement Danes, located on The Strand, London, WC2R 1DH, is a magnificent church displaying unique RAF artefacts from its 100-year plus history. At the end of the Mass a wreath was laid at the Memorial to the Polish Air Force by the Chairman of the Polish Air Force Memorial Committee Richard Kornicki CBE DL. All photos are courtesy of Marek Borzęcki. Previous Article Next Article

< Back Sgt Josef František Memorial Unveiling Ceremony The Memorial to Sgt Josef František is in the Surrey Wildlife Trust's Priest Hill Nature Reserve close to where he lost his life. Stonemason Francis Sancisi used a thin rubber computer generated stencil to transfer the inscription to the memorial stone which he also designed and installed. The Memorial to Sgt Josef František is in the Surrey Wildlife Trust's Priest Hill Nature Reserve close to where he lost his life. 1/37 29 Sept 2022 Memorial to Sgt Josef František VM KW & 3 Bars ČVK DFM & Bar. The Czechoslovak ace, Sergeant Josef František, who flew with 303 Polish Squadron during the Battle of Britain, has been honoured with a Memorial organised by the Polish Air Force Memorial Committee (PAFMC). It was unveiled on 4 September on the Priest Hill Nature Reserve, Epsom, Surrey, close to where he lost his life on the 8 October 1940. Sgt František was one of the most successful allied pilots in the Battle of Britain credited with destroying 17 enemy aircraft and another probably destroyed. He was decorated with the Polish Virtuti Militari and Krzyż Walecznych (Cross of Valour) and three bars, posthumously the Československý válečný kříž 1939 (Czechoslovak War Cross 1939) and the British Distinguished Flying Medal and bar. The ceremony opened with a trumpeter from the Central Band of the RAF sounding the assembly in front of representatives of the Polish, Czech and Slovak Embassies, Air Vice Marshal Richard Maddison (representing the Chief of the Air Staff), Rector Commandant of the Polish Air Force University, Dęblin Brigadier General Krzysztof Cur and other dignitaries and guests. The replica of the war-time Polish Air Force Standard and the Standard of the Czech Legionaries were escorted in by Major Grzegorz Buśko and Officer Cadets of the Polish Air Force University, Dęblin, popularly known as "The School of the Eaglets." PAFMC Chairman Richard Kornicki CBE DL, welcomed dignitaries and guests and then invited aviation enthusiast and researcher Lewis Shelley to relay Sgt František’s story, which is available by clicking the link below. This was followed by the unveiling of the Memorial and the information panel by Sgt František’s great nephew Igor Fryč. Prayers and blessing of the Memorial and information panel then followed by Father Stephen O’Brien from St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Epsom. Invited dignitaries, representing local government, Polish, Czech and Slovak Embassies and Polish and Royal Air Forces, the PAFMC and the daughter and son of 303 Squadron’s British commander Sqn/Ldr Ronald Kellett, who was leading the patrol the day Sgt František was killed, laid wreaths on the Memorial. This was followed by the Last Post and a minute’s silence ending with Reveille. Brigadier General Cur paid tribute to Sgt Josef František in a moving speech. He followed with a presentation to PAFMC Trustee Rodney Byles of a Commemorative Plaque of the Polish Air Force University for organising the Memorial and the unveiling ceremony. This followed with his presentation, on behalf of the PAFMC, of a Commendation to Leigh Thornton from the Surrey Wildlife Trust who, with no personal connections with Poland, played a crucial role in enabling the Memorial to be placed on the Priest Hill Nature Reserve. The ceremony ended with the Polish Air Force March accompanied by the Officer Cadets of the Polish Air Force University. Invited guests then transferred to the nearby Cuddington Golf Club for a reception and afternoon tea. The Memorial to Sgt Josef František has been made possible by the many years of extensive investigations and research by aviation enthusiast Lewis Shelley and latterly by Polish Air Force historian and author Peter Sikora. The cost of the Memorial has been met solely by PAFMC who, working closely with Lewis Shelley, initiated the project in consultation with the Polish, Czech and Slovak Embassies. Chairman of the PAFMC Richard Kornicki commented: “It is a privilege for us to be able to create a lasting Memorial to Sgt František close to 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.” Photos in the slide show are courtesy of Marek Borzęcki, Marek Iczkiewicz, Tony Burd and PAFMC. An archival video of the Ceremony, by Marek Borzęcki can be viewed on YouTube at this link https://youtu.be/EYD556fhG9I A video and photos are also available on the ‘What’s On in Surrey’ website https://surrey.woimtg.com/?p=6414 with a direct link to the video on YouTube at this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xfpb76e6_Uk The Memorial is located at Grid reference TQ229613 or What3Words scar.hurls.hurry. This is in a remote part of Priest Hill Nature Reserve with no direct vehicle access. There are no car parks in the area, but there are man made pathways around the reserve for easy access. Lewis Shelley's speech .pdf Download PDF • 45KB Frantisek Programme .pdf Download PDF • 288KB Previous Next

A new Polish Air Force Exhibition 1/3 3 March A new Polish Air Force Exhibition A new permanent exhibition on the Polish Air Force has been created at the Battle of Britain Bunker, Uxbridge. This is the result of collaboration between the London Borough of Hillingdon and the Polish Air Force Memorial Committee, which has loaned the items on display from its growing collection of memorabilia. The exhibition at the Bunker will provide much greater awareness of the Polish Air Force story and to a far wider public than is possible with the restricted access to our displays at RAF Northolt, where the remainder of our material will continue to be displayed. The project has had the full support of the Polish Embassy and the Committee would also like to put on record our thanks to the London Borough of Hillingdon for their generosity in meeting the costs of the new display area at the Bunker. The following link provides a foretaste of the exhibition http://battleofbritainbunker.co.uk/polish-air-force. Some initial photos of the exhibition are available by double clicking the image then the arrows. All photos are the copyright of Hillingdon Council. Previous Article Next Article

6862c057-caaa-49a8-adb2-76be363b7929 Annual Commemoration of Homage for Fallen Polish Airmen The ceremony, organised by the Polish Air Force Memorial Committee, was hosted by chairman Krzysztof de Berg. Wreaths were laid by dignitaries and descendants of the Polish squadrons and units commemorated on the Polish Air Force Memorial. A wreath was jointly laid by the Ambassador for the Republic of Poland Piotr Wilczek and the Defence Attaché Brigadier General Michał Sprengel. The Duxford based Suffolk Spitfire RW382, now part of the Polish Heritage Flight with a commemorative 302 Polish Squadron ‘Operation Overlord’ D-Day colour scheme, flew in and parked close to the Officers’ Mess for close inspection by the Cadets. The ceremony, organised by the Polish Air Force Memorial Committee, was hosted by chairman Krzysztof de Berg. Wreaths were laid by dignitaries and descendants of the Polish squadrons and units commemorated on the Polish Air Force Memorial. 1/9 2 September 2024 Annual Commemoration of Homage for Fallen Polish Airmen The annual and 63rd Commemoration of Homage for Fallen Polish Airmen was held on Saturday, 31 August 2024, 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 Captain Wojciech Kozioł and Officer Cadets of the Polish Air Force University, Dęblin. Prayers for the Fallen in Polish were then led by Rev Canon Bogdan Kołodziej, 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, which included the Ambassador for the Republic of Poland Piotr Wilczek and the Defence Attaché Brigadier General Michał Sprengel, were then invited by Polish scout Marysia Suchcitz to lay wreaths on the Memorial. 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 99 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 David Skillen, 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 Jon Hough. Guests were also addressed by Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton, The Chief of the Air Staff and Col Pilot Wojciech Wróblewski, Deputy Rector Commandant of the Polish Air Force University, Deblin. A PAFMC Commendation was awarded to WO Andy Harris for his exceptional contribution to preserving the memory of the Polish Air Force and nurturing Polish Air Force/Royal Air Force relations. These Commendations are given to people and organisations with no personal connections with Poland. Following the lunch guests were entertained in the Mess by dancers from the Orlęta Polish Folklore Ensemble. The Duxford based Suffolk Spitfire RW382, which has just joined the Polish Heritage Flight (PHF), flew down from Duxford for a flypast and parked near to the Officers’ Mess where the PAFU Cadets and other guests were be able to get up close to it. This was the Spitfire’s first public appearance with the PHF in its new commemorative 302 Polish Squadron ‘Operation Overlord’ D-Day colour scheme. 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 30 August 2025 at 11.00 and NOT 6 September at 12.00, as indicated in this year's programme. 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. Please note there have been some amendments to the Order of Ceremony since the programme was printed. The ceremony was streamed live on the PAFMC Facebook page and can be viewed at this link: https://fb.watch/ulLmSvWBob/ Speech Krzysztof de Berg Chairman Polish Air Force Memorial Committee .pdf Download PDF • 47KB Speech Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton The Chief of The Air Staff .pdf Download PDF • 62KB Speech Wojciech Wróblewski Vice Rector Commandant PAF University Dęblin .pdf Download PDF • 42KB Programme .pdf Download PDF • 2.09MB Previous Next

Polish Air Force Memorial photographs 1/8 20 February Polish Air Force Memorial photographs RAF Northolt’s photographic section has kindly shared some photographs of the Polish Air Force Memorial taken in early February. Photos in the slide show below can be viewed and enlarged by double clicking the image then the arrows. All photos are Crown copyright. Planning is progressing for the annual and 60th Ceremony of Homage to Fallen Polish Airmen during World War II, scheduled to be held at the Polish Air Force Memorial on Saturday 4 September. All are welcome. This year the event will be subject to changes in format, or even cancellation, if the regulations then in force or the likely course of the Coronavirus make this necessary. If the PAFMC is not confident of being able to hold the Commemoration it will be cancelled no later than Monday 19 July. Previous Article Next Article

94bbba04-ffe9-4aba-b0c9-82757dc6e59a The Polish D-Day Story < Back 1/1 15 June 2023 The Polish D-Day Story The 307 Squadron Project will stage "The Polish D-Day Story" on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 July in Portsmouth covering the role of the Polish armed forces, which took part in the D-Day operation and the Normandy campaign in June 1944. The event will be held at The D-Day Story Museum, Clarence Esplanade, Southsea, Portsmouth PO5 3NT from 10.30 until 16.30 on both days and will aim to promote British-Polish friendship and cooperation. Highlights are: The Polish D-Day Story exhibition in Polish and English Presentation and speeches by invited guests Screening of the film "ORP Blyskawica - Faithful Ship" Unique multimedia materials Artistic performance by the Polish Saturday School 'November Insurgents in Portsmouth' The VIPs expected to attend include: Deputy Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Councillor Jason Fazackarley, Deputy Lady Mayoress of Portsmouth Ms Helen Mitchell, Polish Consul General Mateusz Stąsiek, Member of Parliament for Portsmouth North, the Lord President of the Privy Council and Leader of the House of Commons, Penny Mordaunt MP. Health permitting , the event will hopefully be attended by 101-year-old veteran Colonel Otton Hulacki from the Isle of Wight. Entry to The Polish D-Day Story is free. However, standard admission charges apply to The D-Day Story Museum and are available on the door or in advance on-line at this link https://ddaystory.merlintickets.co.uk/product/GENENTRY Previous Next

713c5a4f-feb3-407d-878b-e2be813f3fea PAF Cadets visit Northwood Graves The Cadets placed wreaths on the graves of Polish Air Force pilots killed during the Second World War in the Common Wealth War Graves section of the cemetery. The Cadets placed wreaths on the graves of Polish Air Force pilots killed during the Second World War in the Common Wealth War Graves section of the cemetery. A wreath was also placed on the partially restored gravestone of Group Captain 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. The Cadets placed wreaths on the graves of Polish Air Force pilots killed during the Second World War in the Common Wealth War Graves section of the cemetery. 1/5 30 August 2024 PAF Cadets visit Northwood Graves A delegation of Officer Cadets from the Polish Air Force University Deblin, led by Vice Rector Commandant Col Pilot Wojciech Wróblewski, 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 Common Wealth War Graves section of the cemetery. This was followed with placing a wreath on the recently 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 partially restored gravestone of Group Captain 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 headstones is a £3,000 commission from the Polish Air Force Memorial Committee (PAFMC) for stonemason Francis Sancisi. It is anticipated that the far more complex task of replacing the lead inlay inscription on Jerzy Bajan’s gravestone will be completed soon. The PAFMC is hoping to raise the £3,000 for these important restorations through donations using the Just Giving portal. Just Giving will send donations straight to the PAFMC and automatically reclaim additional Gift Aid of 25% from UK taxpayers. Donations can be made at the following link: justgiving.com/campaign/izyckibajan The visit to Northwood cemetery was their first engagement on a busy five day schedule. This also included a visit to the Battle of Britain bunker at Uxbridge, participating in the annual ceremony of homage to fallen Polish airmen at the Polish Air Force Memorial South Ruislip, visiting the restored sector operations room at RAF Northolt and attending the unveiling ceremony of the 303 SQUADRON plaque on the restored Battle of Britain class locomotive at the SPA Valley Railway in Tunbridge Wells. Previous Next