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.
Josef Novák was born on 6 March 1912 in the small village Zbonek. In 1933 he finished the two-year Aviation Cadet School in Prostejov and a year later he was appointed a field pilot. In 1936 he completed a fighter course and then night flying training. He did not accept the occupation after 15 March 1939. Like many others, he decided to emigrate to Poland and from there he soon sailed to France. However, the only option was to join the Foreign Legion, where he served for a month in the 1st Infantry Regiment. He was conscripted on 2.10.1939, France; Paris, personal number L-286, sergeant in the Czechoslovakian Army. After the outbreak of war, the airmen were transferred to the French Air Force - Armée de l'Air. On 17 May 1940, a week after the German invasion of France, he was assigned to the Groupe de Chasse III/3 armed with Morane-Saulnier MS-406C.1 aircraft. At the end of the month, the expected rearmament to the powerful Dewoitine D-520C.1 fighters began. At 2pm, Sgt Novak was completing his test flight in Dewoitine number 246. At an altitude of 300 metres, with the landing gear and flaps already extended, he made a turn for landing but suddenly went into a corkscrew. He was already very low, however, and failed to recover the fall and crashed to the tarmac. His remains were interred on 4.6.1940 at the Neuville-La Targette military cemetery near Arras.
Plaque Inscription:
Poutníce postuj a vzdej poctu hrdinovi,
který padl za tvoji svobodu.
V tomto dome žil plk. Josef Novák *6. 3. 1912 †2. 6. 1940 (pilot francouzské stíhací jednotky G.C. III/3)
The memorial plaque is located on the wall of childhood home of Josef Novák.
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Josef Novák
* 6.3.1912 (Zbonek, Boskovice)
† 2.6.1940 (Toulouse, Francie)
Josef Novák prišel na svet 6. brezna 1912 v malé obci Zbonek, která je nyní soucástí mesta Letovice nedaleko Boskovic. V roce 1933 dokoncil dvouletou Školu leteckého dorostu v Prostejove a o rok pozdeji byl jmenován polním pilotem. Roku 1936 absolvoval stíhací kurz a následne výcvik nocního létání.
S okupací po 15. breznu 1939 se nesmíril. Stejne jako mnoho dalších se rozhodl pro emigraci do Polska a odtud záhy odplul do Francie. Jedinou možností byl ale nástup do Cizinecké legie, kde mesíc sloužil u 1. pešího pluku. Do vojska odveden 2.10.1939, Francie; Paríž, osobní císlo L-286, cetar dsl. cs.
Po vypuknutí války byli letci preveleni k francouzskému letectvu - Armée de l'Air. Výcvik dokoncil 16. prosince 1939. 17. kvetna 1940, týden po nemeckém vpádu do Francie, byl zarazen ke Groupe de Chasse III/3 vyzbrojené letouny Morane-Saulnier MS-406C.1. V této stíhací jednotce sloužila rada dalších Cechoslováku - Karel Kuttelwascher, Evžen Cížek, Jan Cermák a další. Koncem mesíce bylo zahájeno ocekávané prezbrojování na výkonné stíhacky Dewoitine D-520C.1.
Tragickým dnem se stal 2. cerven 1940, kdy piloti zalétávali nové stroje na základne Toulouse-Francazal. Ve 14 hodin dokoncoval Sgt Novák svuj testovací let na Dewoitine císlo 246. Ve výšce 300 metru, kdy mel již vytažený podvozek a klapky, provedl zatácku na pristání, ale náhle se dostal do vývrtky. Byl už však velmi nízko, pád se mu nepodarilo vybrat a roztríštil se o letištní plochu. Jeho ostatky byly 4.6.1940 uloženy na cekoslovenském vojenském hrbitove Neuville-La Targette u Arrasu.