The Polish Air Force Memorial at RAF Northolt was unveiled on 2 November 1948.
On 2 August 1940, No.303 (Kościuszko) Squadron was formed here. No.303 was only the second Polish Air Force fighter squadron to form in the UK. It would go on to become 
the most successful of all Allied squadrons in the Battle of Britain, credited by Fighter Command with 126 enemy aircraft destroyed in just 6 weeks. No.303 also included the most successful individual pilot of the Battle of Britain - Sergeant Josef František was a Czech pilot who chose to fly with the Polish Air Force. He was officially credited with destroying 17 enemy aircraft during the Battle of Britain but was himself killed in a flying accident on 8 October 1940.
Following the successes of Polish pilots in the Battle of Britain, more Polish squadrons were formed. There were 4 Polish bomber squadrons and 9 Polish fighter squadrons flying alongside the
Royal Air Force by the end of the Second World War. From March 1941 these squadrons were organised into 'Wings', and at least one of these Wings would be based at RAF Northolt for the next three years continuously.
Most of the Polish airmen at RAF Northolt had no idea what had become of their homes and families back in Poland. With no prospect of returning to Poland soon, many of them came to view RAF Northolt as their adopted home. Friends were made, relationships with locals formed, and events like Christmas and Easter were celebrated in the station's messes.
Following the Allied victory in the Second World War, Poland was ruled by a Communist puppet government of the Soviet Union. Many airmen that had evacuated to the UK therefore chose to stay. Their contribution to the war effort was recognised at RAF Northolt, with the erection and unveiling of the Polish Air Force Memorial on 2 November 1948.
Every year since 1948, a memorial service has been held here on the first weekend in September. If you would like to know more information about this annual event, or are the descendant of a Polish airman, please make contact through Polish Air Force Memorial Committee.
Image descriptions
- Unveiling of the Polish Air Force Memorial on All Souls' Day, 2 November 1948.
- Two Hawker Hurricane aircraft of No.303 (Kościuszko) Squadron on the airfield at RAF Northolt. The aircraft in the foreground is under service and has had a panel removed from the fuselage. This Hurricane (serial no. R4175, code RF-R) was flown most often by Sgt František, who claimed seven of his seventeen 'kills' in it. The other Hurricane in the photo (V7235 RF-M) was the usual mount of Ludwik Paszkiewicz, who used it to score five out of his six confirmed 'kills' (although during his famous combat on 30 August he flew another Hurricane).
- Possibly the best known photo of pilots of the famous No.303 (Kościuszko) Squadron with one of their Hurricanes. They are, left to right: Mirosław Ferić, John Kent (Canadian), Bogdan Grzeszczak, Jerzy Radomski, Jan Zumbach, Witold Łokuciewski, Bogusław Mierzwa (behind), Zdzisław Henneberg, Jan Rogowski and Eugeniusz Szaposznikow. These 10 pilots were credited by the Fighter Command with 42 German aircraft destroyed during the Battle of Britain.
Polish Air Force memorial service, 1948
The Polish Air Force Memorial was unveiled on 2 November 1948. A silent film of the unveiling has been found in the archives of the RAF Museum, Hendon and is available to view below with the kind permission of the Museum's trustees.