English Section
Polskie Radio English Section Society

Poland honors military heritage abroad ahead of Armed Forces Day parades

12.08.2025 12:10
Ahead of the upcoming Polish Armed Forces Day, diplomats from the Consulate in Belfast, Northern Ireland, together with Polish community organizations, visited the graves of Polish airmen who fought during WWII.
Movilla Cemetery in Newtownards, Northern Ireland, holds the Commonwealth War Graves of three Polish airmen who served in the Royal Air Force, including Corporal Henryk Komenda, a Polish Air Force pilot who died on July 9, 1942, when his Boulton Paul Defiant night fighter crashed near Lough Mourne.
Movilla Cemetery in Newtownards, Northern Ireland, holds the Commonwealth War Graves of three Polish airmen who served in the Royal Air Force, including Corporal Henryk Komenda, a Polish Air Force pilot who died on July 9, 1942, when his Boulton Paul Defiant night fighter crashed near Lough Mourne.Photo: Courtesy of Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Belfast

As explained by Grzegorz Sala, Consul General of the Republic of Poland in Belfast, there are many sites across Northern Ireland where Polish war heroes are buried.

Following tradition, before important Polish holidays - such as the national holiday celebrated on August 15, Polish Armed Forces Day - flowers are laid symbolically to honor the noble sacrifice made by Polish servicemen years ago.

Honoring Poland’s military legacy

Diplomats, alongside Polish diaspora organizations like 11 Listopada and ForYourFreedom&Ours, paid tribute to those fallen who served their homeland with distinction.

The Polish consul also reminded that Polish Armed Forces Day, established in 1992, historically refers back to the pre-war Soldier’s Day, which honored the victors of the 1920 Battle of Warsaw during the Polish-Soviet War.

The modern mid-August celebrations aim to recognize, show pride in, and express gratitude toward all soldiers serving Poland and defending its borders.
The diplomat additionally emphasized that, given the current geopolitical situation, ensuring security “once again plays a crucial role.”

Polish Armed Forces Day to feature land and naval parades

The Polish Ministry of National Defence announced that, for the first time in history, the grand military parade held on August 15 in Warsaw along the Wisłostrada will be complemented by a naval parade off the coast of the Hel Peninsula, located on the Baltic Sea in northern Poland.

More than 4,000 soldiers, 300 units of the most modern military equipment, 50 aircraft, and 20 ships will showcase the strength of the Polish Armed Forces.

The land parade in Warsaw will feature K2 and Abrams tanks, Borsuk infantry fighting vehicles, and many other military units.

In the air, F-16 jets and helicopters will fly overhead. Meanwhile, the naval parade near the Hel Peninsula will present corvettes, frigates, mine hunters, and the newest ships of the Polish Navy.

Allied troops from the USA, the United Kingdom, and Romania will also participate in the celebrations.

(mp)

Source: X/@PLinBelfast/@MON_GOV_PL