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. 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 Emilián Mrázek (*13.12.1920 +21.8.1943)
He studied the elementary school in Krenovice near Brno, then the grammar school in Bucovice, and started a study of mechanical engineering at Czech engineering in Brno (until 17.11.1939).
After closing the Czech colleges, he went Czechoslovakia.
He was presented to The Czechoslovak army on May 21, 1940 in Belgrade. He got to the Middle East, in the spring of 1941 he joined the Air Force. He moved to Great Britain, in July 1941, he was taken to RAF. He successfully completed a course for airborne radio and shooters, since the fall of 1942 a member of the 311th Czechoslovak Bomber Squadron.
Missing from the operational flight Liberator BZ 780.
Plaque Inscription:
ZDE SE NARODIL LETEC CS. ZAHRANICNÍHO ODBOJE
311. BOMBARDOVACÍ PERUTE RAF
P/O EMILIÁN MRÁZEK
*13.12.1920 +21.8.1943
PADL NAD BISKAJSKÝM ZÁLIVEM
CEST JEHO PAMÁTCE
VENUJÍ PILOTI
LETIŠTE NÁMEŠT N/OSL
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Emilián Mrázek (*13.12.1920 +21.8.1943)
Nejprve vychodil obecnou školu v Krenovicích u Brna,pak gymnázium v Bucovicích, zahájil studium strojního inženýrství na ceské technice v Brne (do 17.11.1939). Po zavrení ceských vysokých škol odešel do zahranicí. Do cs. vojska prezentován 21.5.1940 v Belehrade. Dostal se na Blízký Východ, na jare 1941 se prihlásil k letectvu. Presunut do Velké Británie, v cervenci 1941 prijat do RAF. Úspešne absolvoval kurz pro palubní radiotelegrafisty a strelce, od podzimu 1942 príslušníkem 311. ceskoslovenské bombardovací perute. Osobní císlo: Z - 10.500.308. Nezvestný z operacního letu Liberator BZ 780, radioperátor-palubní strelec, cetar aspirant, osobní císlo RAF/788135 (146061).