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.
Memorial Inscription:
ŠRTM. FRAN. ZAPLETAL
* 28.3.1910
† 16.10.1940
Prísl. csl. zahran.
bomb. letectva
ve Velké Británii.
Cest jeho jménu, práci a památce.
František Zapletal was born in Jezernice on 28 March 1910. After graduating he continued his studies at the Military Pilot School in Prostejov. He was assigned to the 2nd Air Regiment in Olomouc. In 1939 he illegally left Czechoslovakia, he joined the 311th Royal Air Force (RAF). His plane crashed durring returning from raids.
Memorial plaque is located on the house where František Zapletal was born.
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Rotmistr František Zapletal se narodil v Jezernici 28. brezna 1910. Po ukoncení meštanky v Lipníku nad Becvou pokracoval na tamní reálce, ale srdce ho táhlo k letectví. Proto odešel do Vojenské pilotní školy v Prostejove a po jejím dokoncení byl pridelen ke 2. leteckému pluku do Olomouce.
V roce 1939 ilegálne odešel do Anglie, kde se pripojil k 311. peruti Královského letectva (RAF).
Byl jedním z deseti letcu, kterým se stal osudný 16. ríjen 1940, nejcernejší den
„tristajedenáctky“. Ze ctyr stroju, které byly vyslány k náletu na Brémy a Kiel, se totiž zpátky vrátil jen jediný. František Zapletal se pritom té noci dostal na palubu letounu Wellington KX-H, N2771 náhodou, jako náhradník za kamaráda, který se zranil na motorce.
Jeho letoun prekonal protileteckou palbu a shodil bomby, ale na zpátecní ceste se dvakrát dostal do silné elektrické boure, která vyradila vysílacku i navigacní prístroje. První krizi nad morem ješte piloti zvládli, ale ve 03:22 pri letu v mracích ucítili náraz. Prícinou bylo ocelové lano držící jeden z balonu, který mel chránit anglické pobreží pred nacisty. Lano odrízlo jedno z krídel a letoun se zrítil na tenisové kurty u Bentley Priory.
František Zapletal byl pohrben spolu se svými druhy na hrbitove Pikner Harow v anglickém hrabství Middlesex.