ULAS

Polish War Memorial 2022

In September, Officer Cadets from the University of London Air Squadron (ULAS) assisted in hosting Polish Air Force personnel at RAF Northolt, who attended the Polish War Memorial as part of an annual event that commemorates the sacrifices made by the 20,000 Polish men and women who comprised the Polish RAF squadrons of the Second World War. ULAS’ duties included welcoming the Polish contingent, assisting with a tour of 32 Squadron, and supporting the Polish War Memorial event and consequent lunch event where senior officers from British, and other armed forces were present. The Polish Air Force Memorial Committee (PAFMC) had organised the ceremonial events and ULAS Officer Cadets Atmaciyan, Gut, Lambrianou, Rahman and Sheridan were proud to offer their support to the PAFMC for this important Memorial.

The first day of the Memorial involved receiving the Polish contingent, some of whom were travelling to RAF Northolt via air in a CASA C295, whilst others had cycled over 1000 miles from Dublin, Poland. Officer Cadets Rahman, Atmaciyan and Gut formed the ULAS

The Polish Officers and Officer Cadets were welcomed by serving RAF personnel at the Northolt Officers’ Mess and were toured around the newly refurbished Polish Room in the Mess, which is host to a variety of Polish memorabilia. The room commemorates the achievements and service of the seven Polish squadrons based at RAF Northolt at various stages during the Second World War. After the reception, ULAS accompanied their guests to The Orchard, a pub in Ruislip for dinner. The pub has historical significance, as it was a popular rest and relaxation spot for Polish Aircrew during the Second World War.

The following day commenced with 32 Squadron Officers conducting a tour of their crew room, operations room, and one of the newly procured Envoy IV aircraft. ULAS then accompanied the Polish contingent to the Sikorsky Museum in Prince’s Gate, for a tour of the vast collection of Polish artefacts and items preserved from the Second World War. The evening concluded with a tour of significant London landmarks,

BY ULAS OFFICER CADETS RAHMAN, SHERIDAN, GUT

Welcoming Party for the guests

including Wellington Arch, the Bomber Command Memorial and Buckingham Palace, followed by dinner near Trafalgar Square. The third day of the visit was the main event, with the Memorial Service starting at midday. The ceremonial party consisted of the Polish contingent, Senior RAF officers, King’s (formerly Queen’s) Colour Squadron, RAF Music Services, ULAS Officer Cadet Gut, RAF Air Cadets and civilian special guests. Officer Cadet Gut was one of the members of the wreath-laying party. The rest of the ULAS Officer Cadets assisted in distributing guest passes for the Reception alongside RAF Police and MPGS personnel. The Service and Reception were attended by senior officers from the Polish Air Force and Royal Air Force, including Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston. After the lunch, the day was concluded with a flypast of a veteran Spitfire mkVb, which was flown by the Polish 315 Sqn during WWII. The Spitfire landed and then taxied to park next to the Officers Mess, allowing guests to have a close look and see the cockpit for themselves. On the final day of their visit, the Polish contingent attended Sunday Mass in the Station Chapel, and then visited the Battle of Britain Bunker in Uxbridge. The Bunker was used to coordinate different fighter patrols and interceptions during the Battle of Britain, and the Operations Room has been fully restored. There is also an exhibit in the Museum on top of the Bunker about the Polish Airmen’s involvement in the Battle of Britain. They returned to Northolt to pack up and prepare to fly to Cranwell, ahead of their eventual return to Poland. The Polish War Memorial event was a resounding success for all those involved. Everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly and proceedings went by smoothly. For ULAS, hosting Polish Officer Cadets offered a truly unique experience- one that honoured the gallantry and sacrifice of the Polish contribution to the Battle of Britain in the past, forged stronger bilateral ties between the RAF and Polish Air Force in the present day, and paved the way forward for future partnership through the aspiring British and Polish officers of the future.

The Bomber Command Memorial