Wreaths laid on Newark graves of Polish presidents in exile ahead of farewell mass

Wreaths have been laid on the exhumed graves of three Polish presidents, ahead of a farewell mass this afternoon.

The bodies of Władysław Raczkiewicz, August Zaleski and Stanisław Ostrowsk ­— three of six heads of a free Polish government in exile in Britain when Poland was ruled by the Nazis and the Soviets ­— were exhumed from their graves in Newark Cemetery on Thursday (November 3).

Today (Sunday), wreaths were laid at the cemetery, on the three presidents graves under the memorial cross in the Polish War Graves Section.

Family members of the three joined dignitaries from Britain and Poland to lay the wreaths at around 11.20am.

Starting from 1.30pm, a Catholic farewell mass is to be held in Newark Parish Church.

It will be attended by Newark Town Mayor Laurence Goff, Jan Dziedziczak, the Polish Government’s Plenipotentiary for Poles Abroad, Wojciech Labuda, the Polish Prime Minister’s Plenipotentiary for Memorial Site Protection, representatives of Poland’s defence ministry, Polish Ambassador Piotr Wilczek, families of Polish presidents-in-exile, and the last surviving member of the Polish government-in-exile, Tadeusz Musioł, UK politicians past and present and a member of the royal family, the Earl of St Andrews, George Windsor, son of the Duke of Kent.

It is expected there will be a guard of honour by Polish military and standards outside of church and the occasion will be broadcast live by Polish TV channels.

It is a closed service that will be attended by 300 invited guests, but people can watch from outside.

After the service and speeches at the town hall, the presidents' bodies will be repatriated to Poland, where there is an initiative to establish a mausoleum of the Polish presidents-in-exile in Warsaw.

Town clerk Matthew Gleadell said: "This is a significant day for Poland and for its well-established friendship with that country.

"It will be a day when that bond will be strengthened even further.

"Newark has had a long friendship with Poland dating back to the second world war when we were brothers-in-arms and many Poles continue to live here to this day. Our Polish wartime commemoration services are viewed as being the most significant in the UK.

"We are proud to have been custodians of these three presidents in exile, just as were to have had General Sikorski."

The presidents will rest in the Polish capital’s Temple of Divine Providence, which houses the remains of some of the greatest Poles in history and is a national and religious symbol for Poland, once repatriated.

The Mayor of Newark will receive one of Poland's top military honours on behalf of the town in recognition of the part that Newark has played in being custodian of the remains and being the last resting place of more than 400 Polish servicemen in what is the largest Polish war graves plot in the UK.

Mr Goff will then lead a delegation from Newark to Warsaw to be honoured guests at the the state funerals of the three.

Short road closures will be in place today as he coaches carrying the guests to arrive and depart.

There will be round-the-clock security at the Market Place and at the church.

Władysław Raczkiewicz, August Zaleski and Stanisław Ostrowsk will return to their homeland with a heroes welcome.

None of the three lived to see their homeland free.