Memorial garden opening

THE Polish Memorial Garden in Whitchurch will be officially opened on Sunday, August 14 at 2pm.

The garden has been built on the site of the former Polish chapel which served the mostly Polish Catholic community, who lived in what was then called Coombe Park Camp (now Manor Road).

During the Second World War, a contingent of Canadian and American pilots lived in Whitchurch in rows of Nissen huts.

When the war was over and the pilots had left, the Ministry of Defence transferred the camp to Oxfordshire County Council.

The 48 huts, together with four flat-roofed buildings were then provided to refugee families, mostly Polish but some Italian and a few from England.

The camp subsequently developed into Manor Road. All the Nissen huts have long gone and only one of the flat-roofed buildings remains — it became Whitchurch village hall and now has a pitched roof.

Light refreshments will be provided at the opening and will be available in the village hall after the event.

Anna Szczeponek, the guardian of the site, is the only remaining descendant of Polish refugees still living in Manor Road. Her parents arrived at Coombe Park Camp in 1947.

For more information, call her on 0118 984 1234 or email annaponek@
btinternet.com