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.
The plaque is located in the loby of Turnov Museum.
Plaque Inscription:
OBCANUM TURNOVA A BLÍZKÉHO OKOLÍ
BOJUJÍCÍM ZA 2. SVETOVÉ VÁLKY V RAF
...Zase jsme si to namírili pres Alpy,
vzpomínali jsme pri tom na domov,
na Tatry, Krkonoše,
na Ceský ráj s Turnovem
a hospudkou u Hradeckých -
- ale neletíme domu, letíme do Anglie...
BBC - Czechoslovak Programme
Friday, 26th September 1941 - 5.45 p.m.
Written and read by F/Lt Karel Náprstek
and Mr. J. Hronek
F/Lt Drbohlav Karel *1913 Turnov +2000 pilot 310
F/Sgt Hrdina Josef *1912 Všen +1942
F/O Kopal Gustav (
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W/O Košek Ludvík (
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F/Sgt Leitensdorfer Václav *1913 Rovensko pod Tr. palubní strelec 311
Sgt Linka Stanislav *1915 Malý Rohozec +1941 pilot 311
W/O Mahler Karel *1900 Turnov + úcetní 311
W/Cdr Náprstek Karel *1907 Kladno-Libecov +1987 pilot 311
W/Cdr Štrégl Josef *1904 Hradec Králové +1954 pilot 311
LAC Taussig Miroslav *1915 Turnov +1968 radarový operátor 311