PAF Cadets visit Northwood Graves
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.
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.