Description:Polish Freedom Parade passing along Station Road, Stafford, walking past the railway station. In the background is the Station Hotel, demolished in 1972.
A photograph from an album presented to the Alderman C.E. Fowke, Mayor of Stafford, in 1951 by the Polish Ex-combatants Association, Section 242 (Stafford Area) in commemoration of Mayor's Sunday, May 27th 1951.
The Polish Ex-Combatants Association (SPK) was formed in 1946 to support Polish ex-servicemen and to foster the idea of a free and independent Poland. The Polish Armed Forces played a major role for the Allies during World War II and in 1945 around 250,000 male and female Polish Armed Forces personnel remained in London. Although many returned to their homeland 150,000 chose to stay. In 1947 there were 257 SPK branches with 30,000 members. By 1951 this had reduced to 202 branches with 14,500 members.