NETHERFIELD

The B2096 from Battle to Heathfield runs through several small villages, all of which seem to have a handle on some piece of history. Just outside the village, there is a small clearing in the woodland, on the edge of the road.

This holds a Polish Memorial, which is a monument to the airmen of the Wellington bomber that crashed near Darwell Hole on the western side of Netherfield in 1941. 

I thought I'd be clever, and photograph the explanatory board, then read it when I got home, so that I had all the correct facts. It's in Polish..................

Therefore, I'm having to copy other people's descriptions and hope they're right!

On the night of 27/28 May 1941, A Wellington bomber of 304 Polish Squadron, was one of two tasked with attacking shipping in Boulogne harbour. It was hit, and one engine caught fire. The rear gunner, Sgt. Joseph Drozdz, baled out over the Channel and was lost.

The bomber struggled on to Sussex, when the other engine failed. Only two others managed to bale out before the plane crashed, causing the deaths of the other three.

The two who baled out both survived. Sgt. Jozefiak remained in England. When the land was donated for a monument, he started building a memorial to his lost crewmates.

He returned every year for a Ceremony of Remembrance at the memorial, until he became too old and frail to do so.

The smaller memorial to the right, is a newer addition to Sgt. Jozefiak, who has now passed over.

So, baling out of a burning aircraft was not the end of the story for Stanislaw Jozefiak.

Radio operator Stanislaw managed to eject and landed in a tree near Netherfield, badly breaking a leg. Stan was almost shot by the locals who thought he was German but he was eventually taken to hospital where he spent several months recovering, going on to fly Spitfires for the duration of the war with over 200 missions to his credit and being awarded the Polish equivalent of the Victoria Cross.

He more than earned his memorial, I think.