A huge crowd of civic dignitaries, scouts, air cadets, RAF Northolt personnel and veterans came together last September 7 for a ceremony in honor of the Polish airmen who served in the Royal Air Force during World War II. It was held at the Polish War Memorial in South Ruislip.
Attendees of the said event included new Polish Ambassador Witold Sobkow, city administrators of Ealing and Hillingdon, Hammersmith and Fulham’s deputy mayors and a crew from the Polish Air Force Academy located in Deblin.
With the ceremony’s music provided by the Middlesex Wing Air Training Corps together with a trumpeter and a drummer who hailed from the RAF Regiment band which is based at RAF College in Cranwell, two groups laid honor wreaths – the Office Cadets which was led by Major Mariusz Garbacz as well as RAF Northolt Station Commander Group Captain Andy Bacon together with Acting Polish Defence Attaché Colonel Piotr Pacek.
The Office Cadets were also the one who recited the Roll Call of the Fallen.
“I was delighted with the turnout and how smoothly everything ran on the day. It is so important to remember the contribution made by Polish airmen and women during the Second World War and that contribution is exemplified by the Polish airmen who served at RAF Northolt,” event organizer Richard Kornicki stated.
He even added that the link connecting Polish Air Force and the British Royal Air Force is as strong as ever and very evident in how the the latter showed support for the said ceremony.
During the WWII, Polish Fighter Squadrons, including the well-known 303 squadron which is Battle of Britain’s top scoring unit, stayed in RAF Northolt.