From 6-10th October, twelve personnel from RAF St Mawgan, both service and civilian, undertook a powerful educational visit to Poland to study the impact of WWI and WWII, with a particular focus on the Holocaust and life under Nazi occupation.
The programme began with visits to Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II Birkenau, where participants confronted the harrowing realities of the Holocaust. Exhibits of confiscated belongings and the ruins of gas chambers left a lasting impression. One attendee reflected, “During the whole tour, very little was said by any of the team due to the inability to comprehend the absolute horror that was experienced by the prisoners; men, women and children, it was truly shocking”.
The following days explored Krakow’s Old Town, Wawel Castle and Kazimierz, the historic Jewish Quarter. Through self-led presentations and walking tours, the group examined Polish resistance, Jewish culture and the city’s wartime history. At the poignant Ghetto Heroes Square, 70 bronze chairs symbolised lives abruptly taken.
The visit concluded at the Wieliczka Salt Mine, where participants discovered centuries of industrial heritage and marvelled at intricate underground carvings. One team member noted, “This was an amazing way to finish the trip, leaving Krakow with a sense of wonder after such sombre experiences".
This educational journey deepened understanding of Europe’s wartime past, strengthened personal development, and honoured the memory of those who suffered.
To be chosen to participate in the trip awarded me a wonderful opportunity to visit a country immersed in history and beauty and discover the significant role it played during the second world war. It stands proud today as testament to a nation that would not be defeated, and in sombre remembrance of those who did not survive.
Cara Biggs, RAF St Mawgan Digital Communications Officer
