This year we mark the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the D-DAY landings for which we would like to bring out a specially designed pin badge inspired by the V-shaped Polish Air Force Memorial in Normandy to celebrate the contribution made by the Polish pilots in the Battle of Normandy and towards Allied victory.

Polish Air Force Monument in Normandy is bringing out a unique D-DAY80 Polish Air Force pin badge to commemorate the Polish pilots who fought alongside the Royal Air Force in the Battle of Normandy. We want everybody who supports us to receive this special silver pin badge! Link to the fundraising: here.

The success of the Normandy Campaign depended on the cooperation of many Allied nations. In Normandy, Poland fought again to show the world this could not happen.

As Allied troops moved gradually inland, more Polish squadrons shifted from their coastal bases and onto the continent. Just beyond Sword Beach, the RAF set up a base in the area of Plumetot to support the British and Canadian struggle for Caen. Here, Nos. 302, 308, and 317 Fighter Squadrons would fly up to five sorties a day, flying air superiority patrols and strafing German troops and transports behind the lines.

The V-shaped pin badge was inspired by Winston Churchill’s famous Victory-sign and the Polish Air Force Memorial in Normandy!

Polish Air Force Monument in Normandy is fundraising for…

… 700 will allow us to start production of 200 D-DAY80 pin badges and send it by Royal Mail or the Polish Postal service in Poland.

…1000 GBP will allow us to bring out more than 300 pin badges with postage.

…1500 GBP will allow us to produce 500 pin badges and send it to our friends and supporters by Royal Mail or the Polish Postal service in Poland

…3000 GBP will make it possible to bring out more pin badges up to 1000 pins with cases and send them by Royal Mail or the Polish Postal service in Poland.

What will happen to excess funds?

+ 5000 GBP will allow us to start working on a replika of the Polish Air Force Memorial to be exhibited permanently at the Polish Aircraft Museum in Krakow, Poland.

About the designer

Alexander Smaga is a Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Chartered architect with Polish roots and the Director of AS Architects with studios in Hampstead, London and Kraków. I am also the designer of the Polish Air Force Memorial in Normandy France which was designed and built by our practice for D-DAY75.

Join the organisers to pay tribute to the Polish squadrons of the 131 Wing 302 City of Poznań, 308 City of Kraków and 317 City of Wilno who provided low cover for Allied soldiers landing at their beaches during the early hours of D-DAY in 1944 with a special D-DAY 80 pin badge!

If you wish to receive one you can support the organisers here until 22 May here: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/polishpilots-dday80.

The British Poles are a media patron of the event.

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