Young Roots
They interviewed Polish veterans and their families, and visited important museums and heritage sites, including Bentley Priory, the RAF Museum and the Polish Memorial at RAF Northolt, to capture the stories of the people who fled their homeland and went on to fight for freedom while in exile in the UK. The stories of 12 interviewees and their families were integrated into an exhibition and a booklet that gives insight into the experiences of the 17,000 people whose stories this project commemorates and remembers.
The project was supported by Bentley Priory Museum and, as many of the young people involved spoke Polish, they were able to help staff interpret artefacts in the collection such as aircrew log-book entries.
Eleanor Pulfer-Sharma, Bentley Priory Museum Director, said: “It was a privilege to welcome veterans and young people to the Museum. As future custodians of this important heritage, we are inspired by the young people’s commitment to ensuring that the contribution of Polish aircrew during the Second World War is not forgotten.”