About Czechoslovak pilots during WWII
On 15 March 1939 Germany occupied Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic), the Luftwaffe confiscated all Czechoslovak Air Force aircraft. Emigration was strictly controlled and former air force personnel were not allowed to leave the country Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (
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After France capitulated to Germany on 22 June 1940, many Czechoslovak airmen escaped to the United Kingdom. The RAF quickly created new squadrons formed of Czechoslovak pilots. The first fighter unit was No. 310 Squadron RAF (
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Many of the Czechoslovak pilots died during WWII. Their memorials are located in many places in Western Europe, but also in Czech Republic. The monuments have different shapes and sizes. One of the typical forms is the memorial plaque located on the houses where the pilot was born or where they lived for some time.
Plaque Inscription:
... a mnozí nedoleteli
V tomto dome se dne 27. dubna 1913 narodil
JAN ŠTASTNÝ
príslušník 312. csl. stíhací perute v Anglii.
Padl jako kapitán dne 27. ríjna 1943
v bitve nad Kanálem
za doprovodu bombardéru letících nad Brest.
Jan Štastný, was a Czech pilot, a member of No. 312 Squadron RAF
( * 27/04/13, Chorušice - † 27/10/43, La Manche).
The memorial plaque is located on the wall of childhood home of Jan Štastný.
See also: (
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Štastný Jan, plukovník in memoriam, nar. 27.4.1913, Chorušice, okres Melník, osobní císlo Z; T-841; RAF/125415, príslušník RAF, 312. perut. Odveden 21.2.1942, Buzuluk, nadporucík cs letectva. Nezvestný 25.10.1943 jako kapitán, Velká Británie, pruliv La Manche, z operacního letu.