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.
Matej Pavlovic, b. 7.3.1915 Vlkonice, RAF, 303rd Squadron (Polskie Sily Powietrzne). He fell as a sergeant on April 20, 1941, shot down in an aerial duel, Spitfire P7859, France, Le Touquet; buried Le Touquet, Boulogne, 261-7-39.
The memorial plaque is located in centre of Vlkonice
Plaque Inscription:
Matej Pavlovic
narozen 7.3.1915 ve Vlkonicích 23
Stíhací pilot sestrelen 20.4.1941 v bitve o Anglii
V roce 1993 povýšen na podplukovníka In Memoriam
Nikdy nezapomeneme
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Matej Pavlovic , nar. 7.3.1915 Vlkonice, príslušník RAF, 303rd Squadron (Polskie Sily Powietrzne). Padl jako cetar 20.4.1941, sestrelen pri leteckém souboji, Spitfire P7859, Francie, Le Touquet; pohrben Le Touquet, Boulogne, 261-7-39.
Po rozpuštení cs. armády a okupaci odešel do Polska k bojové jednotce na letišti v Pulawe. Dne 21. zárí 1939 byl vyznamenám Polským válecným krížem. Poté 22. zárí 1939, po umlcení polského odporu, odletel do Rumunska a pres Francii se dostal do Anglie, kde bojoval v 303. stíhací peruti (Polské) s dislokací v Northolthu. Létal na stroji Spitfire IIA P7859 RF-V a byl sestrelen nemeckým pilotem Hermannem-Friedrich Joppienem 20. 4. 1941 nad kanálem La Manchenad územím Francie. Hrob má ve Francii, Boulogne - Pas de Calais, na hrbitove Boulogne Eastern Cemetery (s národnostním oznacením - znakem - Poláka) – hrob císlo 261 - 7- 39. Pomník byl odhalen v nedeli 8. kvetna 1994.