A SPITFIRE flypast will mark the beginning of the wreath-laying service to honour the memory of fallen Polish airmen.

The 52nd annual commemoration ceremony at the Polish War Memorial, Ruislip, will take place on Saturday.

Spitfires from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will complete the flypast at noon.

This year, the ceremony will feature a parading of the Polish wartime Wilno Standard. During the Second World War, each Polish Squadron in turn held the unique standard, created in Soviet-occupied Wilno in 1940.

The standard itself has an interesting history: it was smuggled to Britain and symbolised the link between the exiled forces and the country they fought for.

On one side the standard bears the words ‘God, Honour, the Homeland’ and on the other side, ‘Love demands sacrifices’. Almost 400,000 Poles died defending Britain during the Second World War, and many of them had been stationed at RAF Northolt, in West End Road, Ruislip.

An exact replica of the standard has been created with the full support of the Polish Air Force.

It was formally handed over to the Polish Air Force Memorial Committee, based at RAF Northolt, who went to Warsaw to receive it on the August Bank Holiday weekend.

At this year’s ceremony it will be paraded for the first time. It will then be kept as part of the Polish exhibition at the airbase when not required ceremonially.

The wreath-laying service will be attended by the Mayor of Hillingdon, Councillor Michael Markham, the Polish and the Royal Air Forces, air cadets from Polish Airforce Academy at Deblin, and Polish war veterans who represent the many airmen who gave their lives serving with the RAF.

Members of the public are welcome to attend the service and are advised to get to the war memorial for 11.30am in order to see the flypast at noon

The memorial is at the junction of the A40 and West End Road.