Remembering their sacrifice

War veterans and civic dignitaries attended a service on Sunday to honour the Polish servicemen who died during the second world war.

Candles were lit on each of the Polish graves at Newark Cemetery during the service, conducted in both Polish and English, to mark All Souls’ Day.

About 100 people attended and they included uniformed Polish war veterans, proudly displaying their medals. Standards in hand, the veterans proceeded through the cemetery from London Road to the Polish war memorial.

The master of ceremonies was the chairman of the Nottingham branch of the Polish Air Force Association, Mr Kazimierz Jablonski.

The service was opened by Lieutenant Artur Rynkiewicz, of the Polish Air Force Association.

He said the All Souls’ Day ceremony at Newark was a long-standing tradition, where candles were placed on the graves of Polish war dead.

He said they were there to celebrate those who fought and survived, as well as to remember those who did not survive.

Prayers were said by Father Monsignor Wlodzimierz Skoczen, of the Church of Our Lady of Czestochowa, Nottingham.

The representative of the Polish Ambassador and military attaché, Colonel Krzysztof Szymanski, said this was a time to remember their friends and relatives who gave their lives fighting for peace.

“We remember those who, in 1939, had to leave Poland to fight,” he said.

“These graves remind us of all of the Poles who fought in Africa, Italy, France and Poland.

“They never gave up, and those who lived survived only to learn that their homeland would not be a democratic and sovereign country any longer.

“We should be mindful of what we owe them, and the price they paid for freedom and democracy.”

The Mayor of Newark, Mr Bryan Richardson, laid a wreath, as did the chairman of Newark and Sherwood District Council, Mrs Sylvia Michael.

Mr Richardson said: “They gave their all that we could have a future. Never must we forget their sacrifice.”

By the end of the service about 30 wreaths had been laid by civic representatives and Polish organisations.

As the Last Post and Reveille were played by Mr Roger Bryan, of Newark Town Band, the standards were lowered for a minute’s silence.

Mr Jablonski said it was sad that fewer of their number were at the ceremony as each year passed and thanked the people for attending.

Lieutenant Rynkiewicz said: “We pay homage to the fallen and deceased comrades in arms, the presidents of the Polish Republic, the commanders, the airmen, the paratroopers, the servicemen of all armed forces and their chaplains.”