Posted on 23rd Dec
A new relief on the statue of General Władysław Sikorski at Newark Cemetery has been unveiled.
General Sikorski, Poland’s prime minister and Commander-in-Chief of the country’s Armed Forces in exile during the second world war, lost his life on 4th July, 1943 in a plane crash in Gibraltar.
His body was brought to Newark and laid to rest at the Polish Memorial, where it remained until repatriation in 1993.
The Commonwealth War Graves in Newark Cemetery continue to be a place of remembrance, the final resting place of 397 Polish service personnel war graves and serving as a symbol of shared history.
In 2023 a life-size bronze statue of General Sikorski was unveiled. It was created by sculptor Andrew Lilley, who also completed the new relief, which features an image of Winston Churchill, General Sikorski, and General Charles de Gaulle standing together by a tank.
Coun Neil Ross, Armed Forces champion at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “This addition to the statue is not just a piece of art — it is a profound symbol of courage, leadership, and international solidarity.”
Anna Tryc-Bromley, director of the Polish Cultural institute in London, added: “General Władysław Sikorski is one of the key figures of the Second World War whose role deserves wider international recognition.
“As prime minister of the Polish government-in-exile and Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Armed Forces, embodied the continuity of a nation that continued to fight for freedom despite occupation. The relief depicting General Sikorski alongside Winston Churchill and General Charles de Gaulle is an important commemorative gesture, reaffirming the shared history, values and responsibility that shaped the Allied effort.”
Councillor Dawn Campbell, Leader of Newark Town Council, said: “The contribution of General Sikorski to the allied forces efforts during the second world war can never be understated and this relief adds further illustration of the importance of those contributions. As custodians of Newark Cemetery, we are honoured as a Town Council to play our part in honouring not just General Sikorski but all of the service men and women for who Newark Cemetery is their final resting place.”
