Council honours Polish servicemen based in area during WWII and who gave their lives for freedom

Ards and North Down Borough Council has upgraded a war memorial in honour of the Polish airmen who were based in the area during WWII.
By The Newsroom
Published 30th Mar 2021, 19:55 BST
Updated 30th Mar 2021, 20:30 BST
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The council has installed a lectern near the Ballyhalbert War Memorial to commemorate the Polish airmen and others who gave their lives for our freedom during World War II.

The Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Trevor Cummings, said: “Many Polish servicemen provided support during World War II and two Polish squadrons spent time at RAF Ballyhalbert, one of which was the most successful squadron in the Battle of Britain. The lectern will give everyone who visits an opportunity to pause for a moment, reflect, and remember all of the brave men and women who gave so much during the War.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Ballyhalbert Airfield originally opened as an RAF Fighter Command base in 1941 and catered for various aircraft. It had three runways, two Bellman hangars and 12 Blister hangars. It later became a Royal Naval Air Station before being decommissioned in November, 1945.

The Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Trevor Cummings, beside the new lectern in Ballyhalbert which is dedicated to Polish airmen from WWII.The Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Trevor Cummings, beside the new lectern in Ballyhalbert which is dedicated to Polish airmen from WWII.
The Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Trevor Cummings, beside the new lectern in Ballyhalbert which is dedicated to Polish airmen from WWII.

Part-funded by The Executive Office, the Council’s Good Relations team worked closely with the North Down Museum to produce the informative lectern that details the history of Ballyhalbert Airfield and the vitally important role that Polish servicemen played during the war.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Alistair Bushe

Editor

Related topics:Council