That time of year is approaching where those of use who still care, choose to remember our fallen in gratidude for their suffering and sacrifice in the many wars that have scared our history. Now I'm in a foreing country, that saw more than its fair share of action and attrocities, I continue to choose to consider that this rememberence is not only about those fallen from myown nation, but also about all those fallen in wars, old and new, and as such am seeking a place to pay my respects this November. I'm not a religious man so will not choose to remember them in any church ceremony, but may choose a simple silent moment in the vicinity of a memorial and maybe lay some poppies if I can find any to buy.
So, to the point, does anybody know of any of an British war memorials I the Trojmiasto area, or, failing that, any international or Polish memorials? Maybe even a simple British war cemetary?
A few people think I'm a bit strange for this, but this is me, this is how I feel, so if you don't like it, please just click 'back', the flaming is simply not going to change my opinions.
Looks like the ideal place and I'd be surprised if I'm not the only person there on 11th but possibly a little disappointed if I find I am. But maybe some will wait until the Sunday.
HI yes, I've found malbork, I do some work in Tczew, not too far away, but the directions on the website bear no resemblence to the roads on google maps so I'll have to ask a few locals to find how to get to is.
not too far away, but the directions on the website bear no resemblence to the roads on google maps so I'll have to ask a few locals to find how to get to is.
once you are in Malbork you may consider visiting the castle. It is one of the local attractions. Malbork castle in Poland It is the biggest Medieval Castle in Europe.
I don't know about Trojmiasto, but there is a British War Cemetary in Poznan, just off the steps that lead to the Cytadela from Garbary Station, and there is a Memorial in Warsaw (Skaryszewski Park, near the lake) to some of the British airmen who died while dropping supplies during the 1944 uprising. There is usually a ceremony there on 11/11. There are a few similar Memorials round Poland.
There are only three Commonwealth War Cemetaries in Poland (Poznan, Krakow and Poznan). Some of these do have memorials to personnel buried in graves which could not be located after the war or to those buried in Imperial War Graves whose graves could no longer be maintained (like the one at Lidsbark).
does anybody know of any of an British war memorials I the Trojmiasto area
Instead of war memorial how about visiting a simple grave for the fallen, who had been executed on the spot by Gestapo or SS. I don’t know how accurate this information is but there seem to be such grave near you, in the forest near the village of Gostomko. There lie the remains of British airmen who according to the locals eluded German capture and were hiding in a bale of hay for the night in the village of Ogonki. Unfortunately Germans were searching local villages at least once a month for the Gryf partisans or perhaps they were in the area because of the downed airmen, and this night they were searching the village of Ogonki. They were discovered by SS who surrounded the place. They were then taken to the nearby woods where their grave is at, they were interrogated and executed. Next day in the morning the locals uncovered the fresh grave in the woods to check if it’s someone they know from surrounding villages. The grave contained 3 bodies that were badly beaten and only had their underwear on but it was no one local. The news that they were British airmen they have learned from the Gryf partisans. After the war the locals erected a wooden cross and placed a grave stone making it a proper grave. According to the locals the bodies were never exhumed after the war.
After the war there were commissions that investigated those cases and exhumed the bodies of the fallen airmen. So the bodies might have been moved to another location, bodies of the British airmen in that area were moved to the war cemetery in Malbork and Yanks were taken back home to the U.S. Did they investigate every such case? I doubt it. In cases such as this I tend to believe locals much more then the local officials. Perhaps another interesting place to visit on such a day would be a prisoner of war camp for Allied airmen Stalag Luft IV in the vicinity of Tychowo but it’s a bit too far from Trojmiasto.
I remember (earlier this year?) that a primary school (maybe somewhere near Lodz) had been renamed 'the British Airmen's School' in memory of a plane which had crashed in the village. Some of the airmen's remains were exhumed and returned to Britain and there was a ceremony attended by relatives.
I don't remember where it was, though it should be findeable on Google. I think the Air Cadets were involved.
Piorun, Thank you very much for the information, such a place would be an ideal location. As for whether is it more or less appropriate than a memorial for all of the fallen I'm unsure, but it would certainly be a great honout to go and pay respects to these men directly.
I will do some investigation and see what I can find. (update: I just found Ogonki, it's 4 hours from me unfortunately)
Now, another important question. Any idea where I can maybe purchase a wreath of poppies in Poland in November?
Tony, sadly I cant join you in November, as I have a visit planned to Berlin, however, I am in Krakow next weekend so will visit and pay respect. I was in Oosterbeek in September. Paying respects is the importantant bit not just the time.
The British Embassy sell them. If you're in Trojmiasto, try the consulate there.
As far as I know the Embassy in Warsaw only sells individual poppies, not the wreaths. And getting at the poppies might be a bit tricky for somebody coming off the street (the embassy shop is strictly off limits to non-diplomats and the embassy bar has also now been shut to members of the proletariat).
BTW: the consulate in Gdansk is purely an honourary consulate (like all the others in Poland).
Hi Harry, Thanks for the info. I've emailed the consulate and had no repsonse whatsoever. Maybe the honoury bit means they don't do anything? :)
The embassy is a little too far away but thankfully I've got friends in England who have agreed to send over some poppies to me. But, getting a wreath might be a little tricky. No response from the legion yet either :(
Anyway, we'll see what happens. Thanks for all the help
