The Polish D-Day Story Comes to Portsmouth

The 307 Squadron Project, a Polish-British charity, invite you to ‘The Polish D-Day Story’ – a special event taking place in Portsmouth on Saturday 22nd June 2019.

This weekend a special event at the D-Day Story Museum in Portsmouth explores the story of the Polish involvement on D-Day and during the Normandy Campaign.

Polish airmen took part in missions on D-Day and during the Battle of Normandy. Several Polish ships also took part in the naval part of D-Day, and the 1st Polish Armoured Division landed later in the campaign and took part in the fighting around the Falaise Pocket.

Logo courtesy of the 307 Squadron Project.

The event is organised by the 307 Squadron Project, which aims to promote and research the role of the Polish 307 Squadron, known as the ‘Lwow Eagle Owls’, and features exhibitions and live performances including:

  • An exhibition in both English and Polish detailing the Polish D-Day Story
  • Presentation by Alexander Smaga, designer of the newly installed Polish Air Force Memorial
    in Normandy
  • ‘Forever a Pilot’ a documentary by Sławomir Ciok about 303 Squadron pilot Alex Herbst who was involved in D-Day
  • Performances by British/Polish singer Katy Carr
  • Polski Klub Miłośników Historii (Polish History Lovers Club)
  • Performances by the Polska Sobotnia Szkoła im. Powstańców Listopadowych w Portsmouth (Portsmouth Polish Saturday School)
  • Art installation by Seran Kubisa (grand-daughter of Polish soldier Tadeusz Kubisa who served in the Normandy Campaign)
  • Tim Holden, son of pilot Piotr Zaniewski from 307 Squadron, presents a comic book about his father’s wartime fate. Visitors can buy signed copies of this and The Guardian Angels of Exeter by Michael Parrott.

‘The Polish D-Day Story’ runs  from 10:30am to 4.30pm on Saturday 22nd June and the event is included in the admission price to the Museum.

The President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, is the patron of this event, which will be attended by attended by many British-Polish VIPs, including representatives of the Polish government, the Polish Embassy in London, the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth and other civic dignitaries.

Find out more:

307 Squadron Project website and on Facebook

D-Day Story website, Poland page

D-Day Overlord website, 1st Polish Armoured Division history