RAF camp of East Moor  build in 1941/42  largely on the moor, hence its name, was situated about two miles from the small village of Sutton-on-the-Forest and  seven miles due north from York. The camp itself  was dispersed on 14 sites on the west side of the airfield consisting of large corrugated metal Nissen huts interspersed with brick built ablution blocks. After the war the airfield, with its buildings, became redundant and  was left empty for two years.

In August 1948 the camp got a new lease of life as it was handed over to the National Assistance Board for housing Polish Displaced Persons. The first Warden of the camp was Mr. R. M. Stubbs. After eight years suffering, deportations, upheavals and uncertainties Polish people were offered a new start. By 1949 there were 201 families including 187 children making their home in the redundant black corrugated Nissen huts on the various sits of the camp.  As in all Polish Camps that sprung up in the UK after WW2, people tried to bring some normality back in to their life. Some of the hut were converted into a place of worship, school, nursery, meeting and entertainment hall. There was a library, a reading room, a games room and canteen. At the beginning there was a communal kitchen and mess room were the inhabitants of the camp came for their meals. As huts were converted into family quarters and single rooms people became self sufficient and communal feeding stopped. The land around the huts was cultivated with flower beads and people grew their own vegetables.

There was a nursery and a junior school in the camp run by the Committee for the Education of Poles in Great Britain. The school had several teachers over the years. 1951 saw Mrs. E Sander as headmistress, Mrs. M Polańska as teacher and helper Mrs S Nowak. In 1954 Mr. J. Libertowicz was appointed as the head teacher with Mr. S. Miscznikowski and Mrs. F. Sawko as teachers. At that time there were 70 children attending the camp's school and nursery learning English and Polish.  At least 13 older children and teenagers were away in various  boarding schools.

To help people assimilate, and learn to speak  English, adult  evening classes were organised with  English lectures, courses and study groups under the watchful eyes of the education Organizer Mr. B. Dytrych.

In the 50s the standard of cultural education was very good, active people like Mr. and Miss Narkiewicz organised and run a Polish folk dance group, a  choir "Echo" was created and run by Mr.S. Polankiewicz. Mr. J Walczak set up an amateur dramatics group.  These groups were very important in enlivening the camp's life and played an important role in integrating with the English community through concerts and performances outside the camp.

Other activities included a bee keeping club, a sewing course and weekly film shows.  Members of the bee keeping club also belonged to the local Bee Keeper's Association and attended it's lectures and demonstrations.

During the life time of the camp more then 600 Polish people passed though the camp.  Most found jobs in the Midlands and Yorkshire. Single men and women were transferred to other camps like Springhill Lodges and Northwick Park in Gloucestershire. Several families went to Nettlebed camp and the elderly to Stover Park in Devon.  35 Polish people died and are buried in Sutton on Forest and York cemeteries.  Over 50 families emigrated to Canada, Argentine, and the USA

Today, other then a few Polish headstones in Sutton on the Forest cemetery, there are few visible signs of a WW2  airfield let alone of a self contained  Polish community that  60 years ago came to England as displaced persons and made their homes in the disused airfield buildings.

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