Annual Commemoration of Homage for Fallen Polish Airmen
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 12.00 and NOT
6 September, 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/
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.