Long-overdue memorial service takes place

A memorial service that the pandemic prevented from happening has now taken place remembering a Polish woman whose life honoured the Polish war.

Wanda Szuwalska, at the age of 16 in 1939, was interned by the Germans and on release joined the Polish Air Force.

Wanda supported operational squadrons here in the UK.

After the war she was highly instrumental in the arranging of memorials at Newark Cemetery and the formation of the Airbridge Association, together with the late Jim Auton.

She was always in attendance at the civic services for the Battle of Britain and Remembrance Sunday, as well as Airbridge, until her death at the age 97 in March 2020.

She was buried in the Wilford Hill Cemetery Nottingham, but covid prevented the memorial service she justly deserved.

That service has now taken place and was attended by the Polish Vice Consul from Manchester and the Town Mayor of Newark, Laurence Goff and his wife, together with town councillor Lisa Geary and other guests and relatives.

At the request of the relatives and Polish representatives in Nottingham, RAFA Balderton provided standards at the event, which consisted of a graveside attendance with prayers, wreath-laying and a Last Post with standards dipped.

This was then followed by a service at the Polish Catholic Church with similar Acts of Remembrance.

On the day the standards of the RAFA Balderton, RAFA Singapore and the Airbridge Standard were joined by the county standard bearer, and the deputy county standard bearer of the Royal British Legion, carrying the Union Flag and county standards respectively.