Together with local residents of the Norfolk village of Riddlesworth and with a donation of

MEMORIAL AT RIDDLESWORTH CAMP

In 1942, as part of the war effort, a large army camp was constructed on requisitioned land in the grounds of Riddlesworth Park in Norfolk.

With the end of hostiles the British Army that was based there moved out and in 1946 the camp was handed over to the Polish 3rd Carpathian Rifles Division returning from battle fields of Europe. They had fought their way up the Italian peninsula against fierce German opposition and distinguished themselves at the Battle of Monte Cassino in May 1944.

In 1946 Riddlesworth camp was one of five camps in the area around Thetford housing units of the Polish Resettlement Corps. The camp was in a very isolated part of Norfolk with the nearest town of Thetford some seven miles away and its accommodation consisted entirely of Nissen huts.

In 1946/7 part of the camp was used to house a Polish College for boys and young men. Documents in the National Archives in Kew (West London) show that there were 602 persons resident in the camp, 350 were Polish military personnel, 240 were dependent boys who were students of the newly formed college and 12 staff. Later the school was relocated to Bottisham and renamed The Nicholas Copernicus Grammar school for boys.

On 22nd April 2016 a memorial dedicated to the men of the 3rd Carpathian Division who were based at Riddlesworth was unveiled by The Ambassador of The Republic of Poland, Mr Witold Sobkow, in the presence of three local Mayors and the Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk along with 150 guests including a 94 year old Alfred Zelke a former Polish soldier from the camp. A reception was held afterwards at Riddlesworth Hall School (the Prep school of Princess Diana).

AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR

POLISH SOLDIERS OF THE 3rd. CARPATHIAN DIVISION

ARRIVED AT RIDDLESWORTH CAMP FROM ITALY

AND LIVED HERE WITH THEIR FAMILIES.

POLAND WAS NOT FREE FOR THEM TO RETURN TO.

THERE ARE STILL MANY POLISH FAMILIES IN THE AREA.

THE DIVISION FOUGHT IN NORTH AFRICA

AND AT MONTE CASSINO , ANCONA AND BOLOGNA.

"It is easy to die for Poland but much harder to suffer for her"

" Jest łatwo stracić życie za Polskę, trudniej za nią cierpieć"

Manorial unveiled by HE The Ambassador of the The Republic of Poland Mr. Witold Sobkow in 2016 and made possible by donations.

The Polish Embassy in London and The Polish Heritage Society UK

The memorial was commissioned by Dr Edward Bujak & Mr Philip Bujak whose father Jan a signaller with 3rd DSK (3rd Carpathian Rifle Division) was based at Riddlesworth.

Jan Feliks Bujak from the Pomorze region of Poland. He was born in Sytno near Wejherowo October 1919, captured in 1939 aged 19, forced labour until 1943 then conscripted into the Wehrmacht in Italy until he escaped to the allied lines in April 1944. He fought at Monte Cassino, Ancona and Rapido Valley with the 3rd DSK. Awarded the Cross of Valour in June 1944 at Cassino. Then sent to Riddlesworth in 1946 to prepare the camp for use by the Polish Resettlement Corps.