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The Polish Air Force Memorial The Polish Air Force Memorial at South Ruislip, in the London Borough of Hillingdon, was unveiled in 1948 to honour and commemorate the Polish airmen killed during the Second World War while under British Command. The simple design of the Memorial depicts the Polish Air Force emblem of a large bronze eagle, with its wings spread wide, ready to take off from the top of a tall Portland stone Obelisk. The fourteen wartime Polish Air Force squadrons, and the battles in which they took part, are embossed in bronze letters on the front face. The base of the column is supported either side by two large stone plinths. One is inscribed: TO THE MEMORY OF FALLEN POLISH AIRMEN and the other POLEGŁYM LOTNIKOM POLSKIM. The rear of these blocks has the inscription: I HAVE FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT. I HAVE FINISHED MY COURSE. I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH. -II TIM.IV.7- Also to the rear is a sunken semi-circular walkway flanked by two walls of granite. These are engraved with the names of 1877* Polish airmen lost while under British Command, together with the insignias of the individual Polish Air Force wartime squadrons. There is also an inscription of the names of the 23 Polish airmen lost during the French campaign of 1940. The Memorial is fronted by a shallow ornamental pond surrounded by a paved walkway and adjacent grassed area and flower beds within a gated iron boundary fence. The Memorial is close to the southeast perimeter corner of RAF Northolt, the home of seven Polish fighter squadrons at different times during the war, including the 1st Polish Wing. The main entrance, through a cast iron gate on stone posts, is on the corner of the A4180 West End Road at the junction with the A40 Western Avenue roundabout. There is provision for restricted free parking on the adjacent access road. The nearest Underground and Mainline railway station is South Ruislip, a distance of approximately 1,200 yards and about a 14 minute walk. This prominent local heritage landmark has its own “Polish Air Force Memorial” sign beside the A40 trunk road in and out of London and regularly features in traffic reports on the radio. The London Borough of Hillingdon has been the owner and custodian of the Memorial since 1965 and keeps it in pristine condition with regular cleaning and maintenance. In 2015, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, the London Borough of Hillingdon, in partnership with the Polish Embassy in London, developed and created the Polish Air Force Memorial Remembrance Garden on an area of land on the west side of the Memorial boundary. This ornamental garden, with bench seating, includes trees, native hedges and wildflower meadows and a natural pond, all creating a diverse habitat for many different species of wildlife. The garden was officially opened on 5 September 2015 by the Leader of the London Borough of Hillingdon Raymond Puddifoot MBE and the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland Witold Sobków . The Memorial Garden, which has a national Green Flag Award, is regularly maintained by the Council’s own in-house maintenance team. *The official statistics for Polish airmen lost under British command reveal 1234 killed in action, 104 missing in action, now assumed killed in action, 394 killed training in operational units and 199 killed training in non-operational units, making a combined overall total of 1931.

Air Bridge Commemoration Service in remembrance of the casualties of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising 28 September 2025 British Commonwealth and Polish War Graves Cemetery, London Road, Newark, Notts. Guests and Standard Bearers assemble at Cemetery Gates 13.45. Procession to the Air Bridge Memorial 14.00. Remembrance Ceremony 14.15.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission's Wall of Remembrance 1/1 8 May Commonwealth War Graves Commission's Wall of Remembrance The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is inviting anyone to submit a tribute or to leave a message for a loved one on its 'Wall of Remembrance' using a form which is available at the following link: http://www.cwgc.org/our-work/projects/the-cwgc-wall-of-remembrance/wall-of-remembrance-submissions/ Please pass the link on to colleagues, family, friends, social media and anyone else who will find it of interest. Previous Article Next Article

< Back 307 Squadron Project Anniversary event 1/1 19 Oct 2022 307 Squadron Project Anniversary Event The 307 Squadron Project is holding a special anniversary event to honour the 307 Polish Squadron. This will be held on the 14-16 November at the City of Exeter Guildhall and the City’s Cathedral to mark the 80th anniversary of when the squadron presented the City with the Polish flag in a sign of international cooperation. During the Second World War 307 Sqn was the only Polish night fighter squadron and defended the South West of England. The Lwów Eagle Owls airmen fought the Luftwaffe over the skies of Britain and prevented Exeter from being totally destroyed during the blitz on the city in 1942. The main events are as follows: * Flag Ceremony including RAF Brize Norton Parade * Raising of the Polish Flag on Exeter Guildhall * Free Exhibitions on 307 Squadron and Exeter Airport * Choral Evensong incorporating 307 Squadron at Exeter Cathedral and much more. More information is available on the 307 Squadron Project Facebook page facebook.com/307SquadronProject Previous Next

Polish airmen’s graves restoration completed Previous Next Gp/Cpt Jerzy Bajan's fully restored gravestone B474 in Northwood Cemetery. Gp/Cpt Jerzy Bajan's fully restored gravestone B474 in Northwood Cemetery. The complex restoration of both graves was completed by stone mason Francis Sancisi from Made On Earth, based in Denham, Buckinghamshire. Gp/Cpt Jerzy Bajan's fully restored gravestone B474 in Northwood Cemetery. 1/16 Sunday, 24 August 2025 Polish airmen’s graves restoration completed The Polish Air Force Memorial Committee’s (PAFMC) commissioned restoration of the graves of two prominent and senior members of the wartime Polish Air Force (PAF), AVM Mateusz Iżycki and Gp/Cpt Jerzy Bajan in Northwood Cemetery, has been completed by stonemason Francis Sancisi from Made on Earth. The restoration of AVM Iżycki’s grave was finished last year, see the link https://www.polishairforcememorialcommittee.org/news-2024-1/pafmc-undertakes-major-grave-restoration . AVM Iżycki was the last Commander of the PAF in the UK during the Second World War. He was later the first Chairman of the Committee which designed and built the PAF Memorial at South Ruislip and unveiled on 2 November 1948. See the link: https://www.polishairforcememorialcommittee.org/history The renovation of Gp/Cpt Jerzy Bajan’s marble gravestone, with its extensive lead inlay inscription, has been far more complex and time consuming. It was recently completed during many visits and in guaranteed periods of good weather. The gravestone, placed in 1967, was in very poor condition. The initial cleaning and removal of the inscription’s approximate 740 individual inlaid lead letters and punctuation marks was completed late last year. The cleaning also clearly revealed the intricate hand carving at the top of the vertical headstone. This depicts a stylised eagle with outstretched wings in the centre, symbolic of the PAF, with cloud motifs around the eagle, representing the sky and fighter aircraft in flight carved on both sides, shown as formations of planes trailing outward in a fan-like pattern. Below the eagle is the PAF checkerboard insignia together with a pilot’s Gapa or wings. The cleaning followed the most critical and initial part of the restoration, which required a detailed rubbing of the lead inscription on the gravestone. This was vital to ensure the exact replacement of the individual letters in the same and correct position and layout as the original. This was a very challenging process as some letters were missing and others unreadable. It required some detective work including close inspection of old photographs to decipher the original wording. The expert assistance of the PAFMC’s historical advisor Wojtek Matusiak was invaluable with this process. Once the inscription and layout were verified the text and layout were reproduced on a computer. Using a special program and cutting machine Sancisi produced a thin rubber stencil in several sections replicating the inscription. The separate sections were accurately positioned and anchored on the previously cleaned gravestone and the individual rubber letters picked out and removed leaving an open stencil of the inscription. Each letter was then reproduced as a shallow indentation with sand blasting. Each of the approximate 740 letter indentations, depending on size and complexity, had to be drilled with up to 20 small diameter shallow holes to anchor the new lead inlay with a mallet. The surplus lead was removed and the whole new inlay and marble surface finally finished with wet sanding. Gp/Cpt Jerzy Bajan had a very distinguished career. He won the Challenge Internationale des Avions de Tourisme in 1934, one of the principal aircraft and aircrew competitions in Europe at the time. He was also the head of the PAF College at Dęblin at the outbreak of the Second World War. Despite being wounded in the bombing of Dęblin in September 1939, and having one of his hands permanently disabled, he nevertheless completed conversion training on the Spitfire, which he had flown before the war in the summer of 1939, as one of four Polish test pilots, and flew combat sorties as a regular pilot with 316 Sqn. He succeeded Gp/Cpt Stefan Pawlikowski as the Senior Polish Liaison Officer to the RAF’s HQ Fighter Command, so was in fact the head of the Polish fighter force in Britain in the Second World War from 1943 until its disbandment. Post war he was the President of the Polish Air Force Association (PAFA) in the UK and also a temporary Chairman of the Committee which designed and built the PAF Memorial at South Ruislip, after AVM Mateusz Iżycki retired. (See history of the PAF Memorial at this link https://www.polishairforcememorialcommittee.org/history ) 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

Paszkiewicz Memorial

< Back Return of the GIANTS to Normandy 1/3 Return of the GIANTS to Normandy 14 Feb 2026 Return of the GIANTS to Normandy The Polish Air Force Memorial Committee plaque will be by a pilot's silhouette again this year when the GIANT silhouettes return to Normandy for a third consecutive year. The silhouettes arrive on Sunday 12 April, with the full installation in place from Saturday 25 April to Saturday 19 September 2026. The creation of 1,475 giant silhouettes, each representing a life lost on D-Day, was originally inspired by the British Normandy Memorial’s Roll of Honour – a unique piece of historical research naming the servicemen in British units who died on 6 June 1944, as well as those who were killed throughout the Battle of Normandy. In this third year, new figures will be unveiled among the 1,475. These additions feature Beach Masters, Dog Handlers, Royal Navy Officers, Tank Crew, Merchant Navy and Royal Engineers. Reflecting the wider story of the Normandy Campaign, 40 silhouettes, representing British Commando Frogmen and personnel serving with the Royal Army Medical Corps, will also be included. Members of the public can support the Memorial and the Standing with Giants charity by sponsoring a commemorative plaque for £150 in honour of a loved one who fell in any battle or conflict. The plaques will stand in front of the Giants during their summer installation and will then remain at the Memorial for at least five years — a lasting and visible tribute to their sacrifice. The return of this unique installation has been made possible thanks to generous sponsorship from the Normandy Memorial Trust’s partners: Airbus UK, BAE Systems, Smurfit Westrock and Gold Beach Tourism Office. The work involved in preparing and installing the silhouettes is carried out by a committed and ever-growing team of Standing with Giants volunteers. More information is available at this link. https://www.britishnormandymemorial.org Previous Next

8abf379b-f257-44d9-81ca-02c6641f04f9 Memorial to Polish 307 Squadron Mosquito crew < Back 1/1 23 February 2023 Memorial to Polish 307 Squadron Mosquito crew The Polish flag will fly over the east Devon parish of Farringdon near Exeter Airport on 24 March when The 307 Squadron Project will unveil a memorial to commemorate pilot W/Cdr Jan Michałowski and navigator F/Lt Stanisław Szkop. They were both killed during a night time training flight 80 years ago when their 307Sqn Mosquito DZ261, flying on one engine, crashed in a field at Farringdon during its final approach to the runway. W/Cdr Michałowski was the squadron commander at the time of the accident on 21 March 1943. He had arranged the training flight in an attempt to ease airmen’s concerns about flying the Mosquito, especially when one of the two engines failed, which made it difficult to land the aircraft safely. Approximately 400 people attended their funeral on 24 March 1943 at the Higher Cemetery, Exeter including the Mayor and Mayoress of Exeter. Four months before the crash W/Cdr Michałowski presented the Polish national flag to the city of Exeter as a sign of international cooperation and friendship. The unveiling of the memorial will be outside Farringdon Village Hall and relatives of the two airmen are expected to travel from Poland for the event. Local civic dignitaries and representatives of the Polish Embassy and Polish Consulate are also expected to attend. 307 Squadron Project has arranged a number of events on 24 March in Farringdon and Exeter. The main events include: *Raising of the Polish flag outside Farringdon Village Hall followed immediately by: Unveiling of the memorial outside Farringdon Village Hall Speeches by the airmen’s relatives, 307 Squadron Project, and civic officials *Opening of 307 Squadron exhibition at Farringdon Village Hall *Closing of 307 Squadron exhibition at Farringdon Village Hall *Commemoration ceremony at Higher Cemetery, Exeter, led by an official of Exeter Cathedral, will include wreath laying and lighting of candles, in the presence of the Devon & Dorset Regimental Association. During the Second World War 307 Sqn was the only Polish night fighter squadron and defended the South West of England. The Lwów Eagle Owls airmen fought the Luftwaffe over the skies of Britain and prevented Exeter from being totally destroyed during the blitz on the city in 1942. More information is available on the 307 Squadron Project Facebook page facebook.com/307SquadronProject Previous Next

Mike Ingham recounts the first visit of Dęblin cadets to RAF Cranwell in 2009. 1/19 The Covid travel restrictions prevented the annual visit of the Officer Cadets of the Polish Air Force Academy, Dęblin, Poland from attending this year’s Ceremony of Homage to fallen Polish airmen. Instead Polish Air Force historian and author Mike Ingham recounts the first visit of Dęblin cadets to RAF Cranwell in 2009. In the summer of 2009 a group of officer cadets from the Polish Air Force Academy at Dęblin spent a week as guests of the Royal Air Force College (RAFC) at Cranwell. The idea for the visit had been raised the previous year by the committee of what is now Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire. The group is an innovative partnership of volunteer and commercial visitor sites, public sector authorities, the RAF, and other organizations working together in promoting the county's heritage and providing wider economic benefits. The suggestion was welcomed by the College, and following approval from the Polish Air Force (PAF) planning began on a programme that would be of interest to the Dęblin cadets, show something of the history of the PAF units which had been based in Lincolnshire during the Second World War, and build a further link between the modern air forces of Poland and the UK. The programme would also coincide with the two day International Air Show at RAF Waddington. On 1 July seven cadets from the senior entry at Dęblin arrived at RAF Cranwell with three officers led by the Dean of the PAF Academy Faculty. Hosting the visitors was a small team of officers from the RAFC and the aviation heritage group. The first full day of the programme began with a visit to the restored wartime Sector Operations Room at RAF Digby, and then in the afternoon to Faldingworth where the Polish 300 Ziemi Mazowieckiej Squadron flew Avro Lancasters from the now disused airfield. A memorial to the Squadron stands at the end of one of the runways and the village church has a memorial plaque and window dedicated to personnel of the PAF. A visit to the Newark Air Museum took place the next day, and in the afternoon respects were paid to the fallen at the Polish Air Force Memorial and war graves in the cemetery at Newark where they were joined by the Town Mayor and PAF veterans. The bright and sunny weekend was spent at the popular International Air Show at RAF Waddington. The highlights of the air display programme included a polished performance by the PAF aerobatic team Zespół Akrobacyjny Orlik. The heritage group stand had display panels in English and Polish describing the role of the PAF in Lincolnshire, and the Dęblin officer cadets took advantage of the opportunity to speak to many visitors. Close by was a traditional steel band, the style of music created by converted oil drums being a source of much interest. The historic city of Lincoln was the venue for the next day, starting with a visit to the magnificent Cathedral. Then, down the aptly named Steep Hill, to the ancient Guildhall (with Polish flag flying from the flagpole atop the roof) where they were greeted by the Mayor with a buffet lunch provided by members of the local Polish community. Later there was a more informal element of the programme, and the opportunity for some shopping. The morning of the following day was spent at RAF Coningsby, to look at the multirole Eurofighter Typhoons and visit the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) where Spitfire AB910 could be seen in the ‘Donald Duck’ markings of the Commanding Officer of 303 Kościuszko Squadron, kapitan/Squadron Leader Jan Zumbach. Close to Coningsby is the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre on the site of the former RAF East Kirkby. The Centre has an Avro Lancaster, which is able to taxi and which the Centre team hopes may one day be made airworthy, and gave the Polish cadets the opportunity to look over this famous aircraft at close quarters during the afternoon. Whilst at East Kirkby one moment stands out that, in its way, represents the experience of the whole of the week's visit. The BBMF schedule included an air test for Spitfire AB910, and given the proximity of Coningsby this took in East Kirkby. As it made its first run a member of the hosting team turned to one of the cadets and asked if he could see the markings. With a very broad smile, representing both his pleasure and also his pride in his air force, he replied simply "Zumbach!". Before returning home the PAF visitors and their hosts attended a reception given by the Commandant of the RAFC. It was clear that the visit from Dęblin had been a great success, had achieved its aims and provided a firm foundation for future such exchanges. Sadly, officer cadets from Dęblin were unable to join in the commemorations this year, but their presence again in 2022 is much anticipated. Previous Article Next Article

Polish Air Force Exhibition Northolt tours Previous Next The historic Officers' Mess RAF Northolt. The exhibition is housed in The Polish Air Force Room in the heart of the Officers' Mess. The Sector Control Room is now part of the exhibition tour. The historic Officers' Mess RAF Northolt. 1/9 Saturday, 4 January 2025 Polish Air Force Exhibition Northolt tours RAF Northolt, which hosts the only exhibition and museum dedicated to the Polish Air Force in Britain, has advised organised tours to the museum. These visits, which also include the restored Sector Operations Room, subject to guide's availability, will be hosted by the Polish Air force Memorial Committee (PAFMC). The PAFMC will endeavour to arrange visits on a monthly basis; please contact us, details below, to confirm dates and to book a place. The Exhibition is housed in The Polish Air Force Room in the heart of the Officers’ Mess. It tells the story of the Polish Air Force and its achievements during the Second World War in Poland, France and England. It combines personal memorabilia, artworks, aircraft models, photographs, and display panels. It is particularly fitting the Exhibition is at RAF Northolt, which for most of the war was home to a Polish Fighter Wing of three Squadrons on rotation. In 1940, the 303 (Polish) Tadeusz Kościuszko City of Warsaw Squadron, flying Hurricanes, became the most successful allied Squadron that fought in the Battle of Britain with 126 confirmed victories, despite only being operational for less than half the period of the Battle. Each tour will be limited to 15 people and applications should be made via the Contacts page on the PAFMC website https://www.polishairforcememorialcommittee.org/contact-2 . For Group visits separate arrangements can be made on other dates. Tours will start at 14.00 after checking in beforehand at the RAF Northolt Main Gate. This is the second gate on the A4180 West End Road, when approaching from the A40 Polish Air Force Memorial round about. As RAF Northolt is an operational base visitors attending by car will need to confirm, prior to the visit, vehicle make, model, colour and registration. Photo ID will also be required to access the base. For those attending by public transport the nearest Underground Station is Ruislip Gardens approximately 200 yards from the Main Gate security office on the A4180 West End Road. All visits are subject to overriding operational requirements. There is no charge for visiting the exhibition which is housed at RAF Northolt by kind permission of the Station Commander. However, as funding for exhibits and conservation is all met privately through the Polish Air Force Memorial Committee and guides give up their time voluntarily, donations to the Polish Air Force Memorial Committee are appreciated. There is also a small selection of books, pamphlets and DVDs available for cash sales. Previous Next

< Back PAF discussion RAF Museum Cosford 1/1 6 Dec 2022 PAF discussion RAF Museum Cosford The Shropshire European Organisation is hosting a discussion on the Polish Air Force at the RAF Museum Cosford on Saturday 10 December. It is scheduled to start at 13.00 and last approximately three hours with free entry and all are welcome. The three guest speakers are the Polish Air Force Memorial Committee’s historical advisor and author of many books, Wojtek Matusiak, together with fellow PAF historians and authors Robert Gretzyngier and Piotr Hodyra. They will be flying in from Poland specifically for the event and will share their extensive knowledge and answer questions. The meeting time might slightly change, depending on their flight from Poland and traffic. Robert Gretzyngier: Author and co-author of many historical books, magazines and articles. Founder of Fundacji Historycznej Lotnictwa Polskiego. His magazine ‘Gapa’ is well known and recognized not only by the Polish community. Wojtek Matusiak: Author and co-author of about 50 books on the history of aviation, published in various countries and languages. Author of hundreds of articles; editor of Lotniczy Magazyn Historyczny ‘Gapa’ and member of the Polish Aviation History Group that promotes the history of the WWII Polish Air Piotr Hodyra: Author and co-author of historical books and articles. He is involved with Fundacja Historyczna Lotnictwa Polskiego and is perhaps best known for continuing Tadeusz Krzystek’s work on Lista Krzystka. On the website www.listakrzystka.pl there is information gathered by Anna and Tadeusz Krzystek in the historical work 'Personnel of the Polish Air Force in Great Britain 1940-1947'. Previous Next