Contributed by Steve Flor
Sunday, June 11, 2023 – Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario, Canada
Gathered in remembrance at the Gravesite of General Haller’s Recruits, Members of the Polish Falcons Honor Guard presented the National colors of the nations for which Polish soldiers interred there served (France, Poland, Canada & the U.S.).
Polish Army General Roman Łytkowski (Commander of the 12th Polish “General Haller” Mechanized Brigade, stationed in Szczecin, Poland), served as speaker.
Witold Dzielski, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to Canada, was also in attendance.
During World War I, the Polish Falcons were instrumental in the recruitment of some 24,000 volunteers from across the U.S. and Canada, that trained at Canadian Fort George under the auspices of the French Government. During the pandemic of 1918, some 43 recruits died from the Spanish Flu while in basic training and are there interred. In tribute to their sacrifice, the cemetery plot has been legendarily known as “the Soil of Free Poland” and the focus of annual pilgrimages ever since.
In comments by the event’s MC, Mike Ilnicki, “The event is run entirely by volunteers, who also give their own time to provide upkeep of the Cemetery. The Annual Pilgrimage is the only fundraiser that happens all year, so the generosity of people who bought booklets and ribbons, as well as those who made donations is vital to the upkeep of the Cemetery. It was great to see you and some of your colleagues and friends from New York State in attendance, with our borders wide open once again.”