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 (
visit link) . But many Czechoslovak airmen got themselves smuggled into Poland. Of these a few joined the Polish Air Force but most continued to France. (
visit link)
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 (
visit link) and immediately joined in the Battle of Britain (
visit link) . A bomber unit, No. 311 Squadron RAF (
visit link) a further Czechoslovak fighter units No. 312 Squadron (
visit link) and No. 313 Squadron (
visit link) soon followed.
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.
Plaque Inscription:
PLK. JOSEF STEHLÍK
STÍHACÍ PILOT
CESKOSLOVENSKÉHO VOJENSKÉHO LETECTVA
ZA II. SVETOVÉ VÁLKY ÚCASTNÍK BOJU
O FRANCII, BITVY O BRITÁNII A SNP
ZDEJŠÍ ŠKOLU NAVŠTEVOVAL R. 1927-1929
*26. 3. 1915 PIKÁREC - +30. 5. 1991 SLAVICÍN
PER ARDUA AD ASTRA
Josef Stehlík (* 26 March 1915, Pikárec, Moravia, Austria-Hungary - † 30 May 1991, Slavicín, Czechoslovakia) was a Czechoslovak fighter ace.
Josef Stehlík, as the only Czechoslovak fighter pilot fighting in World War II, became a fighter ace on three fronts. In the sky of France, Great Britain and Slovakia he reached 10 shot down aircraft for sure, 3 probably shot down and 1 damaged the aircraft.
In the Second World War he served in the French Air Force and then the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. In 1944 he transferred to the Eastern Front, where he commanded the 1st Czechoslovak Independent Fighter Air Regiment.
Stehlík was a Czechoslovak Air Force pilot in the 1930s, latterly as a flying instructor. When Germany occupied and partitioned Czechoslovakia in 1939 he escaped via Poland to France. When France capitulated in 1940 Stehlík was evacuated to Britain, where he joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Stehlík returned to Czechoslovakia in 1945 and resumed his Czechoslovak Air Force career until 1948, when the new Communist government politically purged armed forces personnel who had served in Western armed forces. Stehlík was remanded in prison for a year, demoted but then released without charge.
Stehlík was restricted to lowly civilian jobs until 1964, when the Communist government politically rehabilitated him and granted him a retired military rank. He died in post-Communist Czechoslovakia in 1991.
The memorial plaque is located on the wall of elementary school where he studied.
See also: (
visit link) (
visit link)
=========================================================
Josef Stehlík (26. brezna 1915 Pikárec, Rakousko-Uhersko - 30. kvetna 1991 Slavicín, Ceskoslovensko) byl clen ceskoslovenského zahranicního leteckého odboje. Úcastnil se boju ve Francii, Velké Británii a na Slovensku. Na svém konte má deset potvrzených sestrelu a je jediným ceskoslovenským stíhacem druhé svetové války který dosáhl vzdušných vítezství jak behem boju ve Francii a bitvy o Británii, tak na východní fronte.
Zdroj: (
visit link)