Special act of remembrance for Polish RAF Spitfire pilots who trained in Northern Ireland and gave their lives in WWII
A special act of remembrance will be held this weekend for Polish RAF Spitfire pilots who trained in Northern Ireland and gave their lives in WWII.
The event is being held at the Polish Memorial (erected in 2021) at Boghill Road, Newtownabbey on Saturday, 9 November at 11am.
It is being organised by Primrose Temperance Orange Lodge 1203.
The event centres on 11 September 1943 when three pilots coming back from a training sortie crashed individually in three different locations around the Belfast and Lisburn areas in very foul weather conditions.
Two of them – Warrant Officer Stanislaw Grondowski and Flight Sergeant Władysław Kołek – lost their lives and one escaped with heavy injuries – Flight Sergeant E Zygmund.
In a statement, the lodge explained the background to the tragic day.
"The sortie began to turn badly when the formation got lost in the hills surrounding Belfast resulting in one Spitfire crashed into a farm house near the Flush Road in Newtownabbey, killing the pilot, Flight Sergeant Kołek instantly.
"Warrant Officer Stanisław Grondowski crashed into a hill near Plantation Road Lisburn and was also killed.
"Flight Sergeant Zymund's plane came down in Glengormley and although injured he was able to walk into the local RUC Station for assistance.
"Unfortunately he too was later killed on 29th July 1944 whilst serving with 306 Squadron while pursuing a German V1 over Hastings.
"Flight Sergeant Kołek is buried alongside Warrant Officer Stanisław Grondowski at Ballycranbeg (Mount Saint Joseph) graveyard, in County Down."
The three airmen and are also remembered on the Polish War Memorial in North London which commemorates 2165 Polish airmen who lost their lives in WWII.
The event on Saturday will include an act of remembrance and prayer of thanksgiving.
It will also include the Last Post and Reveille, Kohima Epitaph and National Anthem.
In 2021 Maciek Bator from the commemoration organisation ‘For Your Freedom & Ours’ attended a commemoration for the men in Northern Ireland.
He said: “The history of the Polish contribution to the war effort is one of bravery and ingenuity. The first cipher crackers to break Germany’s enigma code were not based in Bletchley Park, but in Warsaw.
“The Polish No 303 squadron would become the most successful Fighter Command unit in the Battle of Britain, shooting down 126 Luftwaffe enemy aircraft in only 42 days. Sergeant Josef Frantisek was the top scoring ace with 17 confirmed victories in only four weeks, before he crashed in September 1940.
“At the conclusion of the war, Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding conceded that without the contribution of Polish Forces, the outcome of the Battle of Britain may not have been one of victory for the Allies.”
There were 16 Polish Squadrons located in the UK during WWII. Over 100 Polish airmen were based in Northern Ireland in various RAF Squadrons as well as two Polish Fighter Squadrons operating from RAF Ballyhalbert.
The 25 locations along the Polish Wings Heritage Trail, set up by ‘For Your Freedom and Ours’ tells the story of the airmen who lived and died fighting for the Allies in Northern Ireland.
For more information visit www.polishwingstrail.com
• This Saturday will also see 300 English Orangemen led by Castlederg Young Loyalist flute band taking part in a remebrance parade in London.