Polish President Andrzej Duda and his wife Agata Kornhauser-Duda, who flew to Belgium for an official three-day visit, attended the ceremony at the Polish Military Cemetery in Lommel, north-east Belgium, on Sunday.
"The soldiers of the 1st Armoured Division fought for our and your freedom. We trust that their sacrifice will not be futile, that we will not disappoint their hope, that we will fulfil their desire for freedom and peace," Duda was quoted as saying by Polish state news agency PAP.
The division, which numbered 16,000 men at its zenith, was commanded by General Stanisław Maczek and helped liberate numerous cities across Belgium in 1944.
"They liberated, among other cities, Ypres, Tielt, Ruiselede, and Ghent. General Maczek's soldiers said in their memoirs that they were greeted with special warmth and hospitality in Belgium,” Duda added at the ceremony.
Also present at the ceremony was Belgium’s King Philippe, who thanked Polish soldiers for their heroism.
The king also said that Poles had established the largest resistance movement in occupied Europe during World War II, and formed various units that took part in key battles against Nazi Germany.
(jh/pk)
Source: PAP