Northwood Cemetery,  Ruislip, Middlesex.

Many of the 63 Second World War Commonwealth burials at Northwood Cemetery were from the Royal Air Force station at Northolt, the premier fighter station for the defence of London and a famous Battle of Britain station. A wing of the Polish Air Force operated from Northolt at this time and 54 Polish airmen are also buried in the cemetery. Many of the Second World War graves will be found in the war graves plot in section H, the rest are scattered throughout the cemetery. Northwood Cemetery also contains five graves from the First World War.

Included amongst these Polish airmen are 2 Czechoslovak pilots – Josef František and Vilém Košař – who flew with 303 Sqn and 302 Sqn respectively of the Polish Air Force.

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FRANTIŠEK Josef, 27, Sgt, 303 Sqn., Pilot

* 07/10/13, Otaslavice, Prostějov

† 08/10/40, Ewell, Surrey

Killed in crash when returning from combat patrol.

Grave ref: section H, grave no. 246

A symbolic urn, No 63, is also interred at the Airman’s Memorial, Prostějov, Czech Republic

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KOSARZ [Košař] Vilém, 32, Sgt, 302 Sqn., Pilot

* 20/06/08, Karviná

† 08/11/40, Mayfield

Shot down in aerial combat

Grave ref: section H, grave no. 274

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Location Information:

Northwood Cemetery, is located in Chestnut Avenue, Ruislip, Middlesex, which is off the A404 Pinner to Rickmansworth road.

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The assistance of Ministerstvo obrany České republiky [Ministry of Defence, Czech Republic], Clive Lewis and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission with this article is very much appreciated.