Moray cadets honour Polish servicemen

MORAY Army Cadets took part in a memorial service in Ross-shire last weekend to honour fallen Polish service personnel.

Five cadets from 1st Battalion the Highlanders took part in the annual service last weekend in Invergordon, held separately from the national Remembrance services.

Sergeant Jakub Bialkowski (16), Corporal Barnaba Smardzewski (17) and Lance Corporal Kryzstof Madejski (15), from Elgin Detachment, and Sergeant Mia Bremner (17) and Corporal Bethany Young (15), from Forres Detachment, took part in the parade alongside 30 cadets from the Battalions Ross Company.

Many Polish airmen and soldiers trained in the area around Invergordon during the Second World War.

Alness had an RAF base and Evanton and Fearn had airfields where the airmen were based. The Army trained in the area, as well as being involved in building the underground Inchindown oil storage facility.

Polish forces personnel were housed in the accommodation base which was situated just behind the present-day war monument.

This year’s parade was attended by members of the local community and dignitaries. These included the Consul General of the Polish Consulate in Edinburgh, Ireneusz Truszkowski, who spoke to three Polish-born members of Elgin Detachment Sgt Bialkowski, Cpl Smardzewski and LCpl Madejski after the parade.

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