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Page last updated at 16:55 GMT, Wednesday, 15 September 2010 17:55 UK
Polish pilots from the Battle of Britain remembered
Jozef Lopuszynski - Freelance Contributor

Polish Memorial at NMA
During the ceremony, a flock of geese flew over

Polish pilots who died in the Battle of Britain have been remembered at a special ceremony at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

Polish ex-combatants from across Britain were there for the first anniversary of the unveiling of the Memorial's Polish Monument.

Clergymen led prayers for the Polish dead, and for those who perished in the Smolensk Air Crash earlier this year.

The Memorial was unveiled last year by HRH the Duke of Kent.

Battle of Britain

Standard Bearer George Glebocki from Cannock attended. He said that the current celebrations remembering the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain were timely: "Poland fought with the Allies from the very first day till the last day of the War; and many many Polish airmen, Polish soldiers, Polish seamen, died.

Vice-Rector of the Polish Catholic in England & Wales Dr Monsignor Wladylslaw Wyszowadzki leads the prayers.
Dr Monsignor Wladylslaw Wyszowadzki leads the prayers.

"At this moment in time, we are also remembering the anniversary of the Battle of Britain where we remember all the British airmen that died - but also the very many Poles who fought gallantly in the skies to defend this country. It is recorded that Polish airmen had the greatest number of kills because they were very very determined to fight the enemy.

"We want to honour their memory and not to forget their sacrifices, and of course all the members of the Armia Krajowa. These were just ordinary people, ordinary citizens, who defended their country in whatever way they could."

Prayers

There were also prayers for those who died at Smolensk, the members of the Polish Government, and the Polish Government in Exile.

Polish Ex-Combatants Assciation Chaplain Father Bronislaw Gostomski at the NRM Polish Monument opening ceremony in 2009
Chaplain Father Bronislaw Gostomski was killed in the Smolensk crash

Czeslaw Maryszczak, National Chairman of the Polish Ex-Combatants Association paid tribute to the four guests at last year's unveiling ceremony last year who perished this April.

"This anniversary is important but we remember also another tragic event - of the Smolensk Air Crash - which killed both our presidents, Kaczynski and Kaczorowski, and of course our chaplain Father Gostomski who was our friend for many years."

History

He said that he regretted how much the history of the Second World War was being ignored: "The coverage of this event is obviously minimal, because people do prefer other topics and instead of learning about what happened during the World War II which to some people is history and no longer relevant.

"However, in our view, it is relevant today for the younger generation. That's why we've got monuments surrounded by plaques which commemorate all the units of Polish Armed Forces from the beginning of the War to the end of the War.

"Young people - of this country (the English, British people) can come and read all about it instead of being in the classroom where sometimes to them it's a bit boring. But here in the lovely surroundings they can learn all about it."

Crowd in rain
Though the weather was unkind at times, a significant crowd turned up to observe the ceremonies

The ceremonies took place on Saturday, 11 September.

Jozef Lopuszynski - all photos copyright.




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