1940s Polish Heritage fete commemorating 80 years of Checkendon army camp

Join us for the 80th anniversary of the arrival of allied Polish troops in Checkendon. Our VIP 100 year old Polish veteran and Polish families will be coming to commemorate and meet for the first time in 50 years.

Please arrive by 12 noon. The WW2 convoy of our veteran and VIPs to the fete with subsequent welcome and performances start at 1pm, Saturday 30th May 2026 at the Black Horse pub, Checkendon generously hosted by landlady Clare Wilkinson, close to the site of the former army camp and Polish resettlement hostel.

After the arrival of the 100 year old veteran and oldest Checkendon camp residents and other VIPs in a small WW2 convoy, there will be a welcome by Checkendon camp born sons of veterans followed by prayers and 2 minute silence led by Nettlebed Royal British Legion, British Army 7th Regiment Royal Logistics Corps and Redline WW2 home guard re-enactors, the performances will start with Mlody las Polish folk dance group, followed by Katy Carr, singing and playing Polish and English songs. This will be followed by May Blossom singing English 1940s melodies and well known WW2 songs, and Steve Daniels singing songs about Checkendon and Ipsden. There will be displays by WW2 re-enactment soldiers, and visiting WW2 jeeps and other 1940s vehicles. Checkendon born artist Basia Karpowicz will be selling her Nissen hut artwork in the back room of the Black Horse, as well as landscape artist Checkendon descendant Elizabeth Baldin who kindy donated one of her paintings to the Friends raffle prizes. There will also be a memorabilia room with photo boards of the old Checkendon camp, and book signing by former Checkendon camp resident, Mirko Stasiak, and by local Ipsdon village author, Carolyn Kirby.

There will also be a major raffle in support of fundraising for future free events and activities to keep alive the memory of Checkendon camp, with such prizes as a chaufffeur driven afternoon ride in a 1920s Rolls Royce and picnic hamper.

This will be the first of a number of Polish heritage commemorations, fundraising through Justgiving ,and the unveiling of plaques and information boards at the 3 former camps by the Friends of Checkendon, Nettlebed and Kingwood Common camps.

Join facebook "Friends of Checkendon, Nettlebed and Kingwood common camps" group to keep in touch with other Polish families. See you there!

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Friends of Chechendon, Nettlebed & Kingwood Camps