The former Polish war camp at Checkendon is a temporary home for many Poles who found refuge here between 1946 and 1961 after years of wartime wandering.

The Nissen-type barracks, modest and functional, witnessed daily life, hope and rebuilding. Schools, a theatre and dance group were located there. The nearby library was stocked with both Polish and English books.

In the centre of the camp was a small chapel. The glass windows and altar from the chapel in the Checkendon camp were later moved to the Sacred Heart Church, a Polish church in Reading, England.

The fact that it was visited by General Wladyslaw Anders himself - the commander of the 2nd Polish Corps, the hero from under Monte Cassino - lends special significance to this place. His presence was not only an honour for the camp's inhabitants, but also a source of strength and a feeling that their fate had not been forgotten.