Was it just luck or skill? Here at the Polish War Memorial we remember the brave Polish airmen. This memorial stands in West London. It honors those who served in the Royal Air Force during World War II. They were a crucial part of the Polish contribution.
Over 18000 Polish men and women served. More than 2000 lost their lives. The Polish War Memorial marks the edge of South Ruislip near RAF Northolt. Seven Polish fighter squadrons were based here.
After the war Polish Air Force officers formed an association. They decided to build this memorial. Air Vice Marshal Mateusz Iżycki led the fundraising. The British public donated most of the money. The Daily Telegraph and William Berry helped raise over £8000.
Mieczysław Lubelski designed the monument. He was a Polish sculptor and a Warsaw Uprising veteran. He had been held in a German concentration camp. His budget was £3000. Middlesex County Council donated the site. It was at the edge of RAF Northolt.
The Polish War Memorial features Portland stone and polished granite. Bronze lettering adds to its solemnity. A central obelisk stands next to a pool with fountains. A bronze Polish eagle sits atop the column. It is the symbol of the Polish Air Force. The dates 1940-1945 are inscribed. Polish fighter and bomber squadrons are listed.
Flanking panels bear inscriptions in English and Polish. “TO THE MEMORY OF / FALLEN POLISH AIRMEN” is written. The Polish inscription reads “POLEGLYM / LOTNIKOM POLSKIM”. The rear displays a Bible quote from 2 Timothy 4. It says “I HAVE FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT. I HAVE FINISHED MY COURSE. I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH”.
A York stone walkway surrounds the pool and column. Steps lead to a sunken area. Curved walls hold stone panels. These panels show insignia of 14 Polish squadrons. The names of 1243 Polish airmen killed in the war are inscribed. In 1996 the inner wall was replaced. The outer wall was added with more names and insignia.
The site includes grass and flowerbeds. Flagpoles fly the UK and Poland flags. Cast iron railings and gates enclose the area. Portland stone pillars support them. The Morris Singer foundry cast the bronze eagle and lettering.
Arthur Tedder unveiled the Polish War Memorial on November 2 1948. He was a Marshal of the Royal Air Force. Charles Portal spoke about the Soviet Union occupying Poland. He hoped Poles would make their home in Britain. August Zaleski attended the unveiling. He was the president of the Polish Republic in Exile. 3000 dignitaries and guests were also present. Reverend Rafał Gogoliński-Elston led prayers.
Initially the names of 1243 airmen were inscribed. Later 659 more names were added. In the 1990s the memorial needed repair. An appeal was launched in 1994 to fund the work. The monument was extended to include the missing names. It also added 23 airmen killed in the Battle of France in 1940. Deteriorating sandstone panels were replaced with granite. New panels in English and Polish were added. The Duke of Gloucester rededicated the refurbished monument in 1996.
The Polish War Memorial became a Grade II listed building in 2002. It was upgraded to Grade II* in September 2020. This marked the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Presidents Lech Wałęsa and Aleksander Kwaśniewski visited. They laid wreaths in 1991 and 2004. The monument was refurbished in 2010. This was for the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. In September 2012 a replica of the Wilno Standard was paraded.
A Polish War Memorial Garden opened on September 5 2015. It marked the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Ray Puddifoot and Witold Sobków opened it. They were the leader of Hillingdon Borough Council and the Polish Ambassador. The garden includes a separate monument. It is inscribed in both English and Polish.
Other Polish war memorials exist in the UK. They stand near major war cemeteries. Some cemeteries have multiple memorials. The Polish War Memorial stands as a testament. It honors the courage and sacrifice of Polish airmen.