About Czechoslovak pilots during WWI
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. But many Czechoslovak airmen got themselves smuggled into Poland. Of these a few joined the Polish Air Force but most continued to France. (
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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.
About František Weber
Many of his Air Force colleagues, with the assistance of Obrana Národa (Defending the Nation), a Czechoslovak military anti-Nazi resistance organisation and Svaz Letcu, the Airman Association of the Czechoslovak Republic, escaped to Poland where they had been told Czechoslovak military units were being formed to fight for the liberation of their homeland. After Poland was invaded by Germany on 1 September 1939, escaping Czechoslovak had to use the ‘Balkan Route’ instead.
One of these airmen was František Weber. On 14 January 1940 he escaped into Slovakia and travelled to Hungary, Yugoslavia to Greece. From here, with other escaped Czechoslovak airmen he boarded a ship and sailed to Turkey, Beruit and then to Marseille, France, arriving on 6 March 1940.
.When France capitulated, the Czechoslovak airmen at Agde were taken to Port Vendres where on 24 June 1940, they boarded the ship ‘Appa’, which took them to Gibraltar. Here they transferred ship and were taken to England, arriving at Liverpool on 7 July 1940.
Here he was assigned to the squadrons reserve pool of pilots who were due to do their re-training to Hurricanes with the squadron. An English tutor was also appointed to teach the Czechoslovak pilots rudimentary English. With 310 Sqn becoming operational on 17 August 1940, it was no longer possible, due to shortages of aircraft and instructors, for re-training to be undertaken within the squadron. The reserve-pool pilots were assigned, on 17 August, to 6 OTU at Sutton Bridge to complete their re-training.
He returned to 310 Sqn on 27 January 1941 and was appointed Flight Commander of ‘B’ Flight and on 1 March 1941 he was promoted to the rank of F/Lt. On 11 January 1942, after returning to Perranporth at 14:40 after a convoy patrol he was in collison with another Spitfire after landing. F/O B. Klimicka, in Spitfire Mk Vb AD574 NN-E had landed on the wrong runway. Weber, had already landed his Spitfire Mk Vb AD378, NN-L and was taxiing back to dispersal. By the time he had seen Klimicka’s taxying aircraft it was too late to avoid a collision. Both Spitfires were destroyed, Klimicka received a cut over his right eye, whilst Weber received a cut over his left eye and suffered considerable concussion. He was taken to hospital and released on 10 February 1942 for further recuperation at the RAF Officers Hospital at Torquay. He returned to the squadron on 4 March 1942.
He remained with 310 Sqn until 8 April 1942 when he had completed his operational tour.
He was promoted to the rank of S/Ldr and appointed Station Commander of 134 Czechoslovak Wing of the 2nd Tactical Air Force. The Wing consisted of the Czechoslovak 310, 312 and 313 Fighter Squadrons and were based at Exeter. He returned to the Czechoslovak Inspectorate General on 1 April 1944 where he remained until the end of the war. He contracted pleurisy later in the year and was hospitalised for many months which delayed his return to Czechoslovakia.
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Plaque Inscription:
V TOMTO DOME ŽIL
GENERÁLMAJOR FRANTIŠEK WEBER
*28.2.1908 +1.10.1991
VELITEL
310. CESKOSLOVENSKÉ
STÍHACÍ PERUTI RAF
ÚCASTNÍK BITVY O BRITÁNII
MESTSKÁ CÁST PRAHA 62011