The organizer of the 3rd Veterans’ Motorcycle Rally is the Center for Veterans of Operations Outside the State, and this year’s edition continues a project launched in 2020. Soldiers:
The event commemorates our colleagues who sacrificed their lives in service to their homeland, while also promoting an active way of spending free time and safe riding.
Since 1953, we have taken part in 92 operations involving approximately 120,000 Polish soldiers. Some of them returned home safely, some suffered damage to their health, while others never came back, paying the ultimate price in the fight for peace.
The official launch of the armored troops’ rally in Żagań was conducted by Brigadier General Jan Wojno, deputy commander of the 11th LDKPanc. Division: – Along the rally route, participants will meet with the families of the fallen, while, as part of the soldiers’ remembrance, they will visit the burial sites of those who died during missions outside the country, where honor guards will stand at the graves of the fallen and votive candles will be lit.
During the rally, the motorcycle-riding soldiers will visit the graves of:
- the late Police Sub-Inspector Andrzej Bulera,
- the late Staff Warrant Officer Andrzej Bakselerowicz,
- the late Senior Private Tomasz Ługowski,
- the late Sergeant Wiktor Lenczewski,
- the late Lieutenant Łukasz Kurowski,
- the late Sergeant Jan Boleszczuk,
- the late Private Dariusz Sorokopas,
- the late Major Witold Kowalczyk,
- the late Senior Corporal Wiesław Szkwark,
- the late Senior Corporal Hubert Kowalewski,
- the late Lieutenant Robert Marczewski,
- the late Senior Warrant Officer Ryszard Zalewski.
During this year’s edition of the rally, as part of the “Order Memory” program, the graves of recipients of the Military Cross—namely, the late Lieutenant Łukasz Kurowski, who rests in Lusowo, and the late Senior Corporal Hubert Kowalewski, whose grave is located in Sulechów—will be specially marked. In addition to rally participants, the ceremonies marking the graves will also be attended by the families of the fallen, representatives of local authorities, soldiers and members of the Chapter of the Order of the Military Cross.
The grave-marking ceremony will make it possible to provide the local community with information about the heroic deeds of the fallen soldiers.
– We want to save from oblivion the memory of those who are no longer among us and who rest in our cemeteries, so that passers-by stop and have a moment to reflect – explains Krzysztof Gradys, the 11th LDKPanc commander’s representative for veterans.
The route, which participants will cover on their own motorcycles marked with unit pennants and white-and-red colors, will pass through localities in the Lubusz, Greater Poland and Lower Silesian voivodeships.