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.
Sgt Oskar Lojka (*10/12/16, Prišimasy - †13/03/44, Bay of Biscay), was a Czech pilot, a member of No. 311 Squadron RAF.
The memorial plaque is located in front of Vrátkov Airport.
The plaque is dedicated to the memory of Oscar Lojka and crew of the bomber B-24 Liberator „J“ (BZ-995).
Plaque Inscription:
Pametní deska
Tato pametní deska je venována památce cs. letce Oskara Lojky
(Sgt., rtn.) a také jeho bojových druhu, príslušníku 311. cs.
Bombardovací perute, vytvorené za války ve Velké Británii.
Oskar LOJKA se narodil 10. prosince 1916 v nedaleké
obci Prišimasy. Padl v boji proti fašismu 13. brezna 1944 –
bylo mu necelých 28 let. Toho dne letel jako 2. pilot bombar –
dovacího letounu Consolidated B-24 Liberator (trupové
oznacení „J“, sériové císlo BZ 995) na operacní let do oblasti
Biskajského zálivu. Na základnu Predannack v jižní Anglii
se však jeho letoun již nevrátil. Za nezjištených okolností
zahynula celá osmiclenná osádka (seznam uveden níže).
Oskar Lojka byl jedním z více než 500 cs. letcu, kterí
v dobe druhé svetové války, v boji proti nacismu, zaplatili
dan nejvyšší. Bojovali, abychom my ostatní mohli dnes
svobodne žít a také létat.
Dekujeme – nezapomínáme.
Piloti z letište Rícany a Vrátkov
Obcané Prišimas
3. zárí 2005
Osádka bombardéru B-24 Liberator „J“ (BZ-995)
- velitel – kapitán letounu: P/O Otakar Žanta (št. rtm.)
- 2. pilot: Sgt. Oskar Lojka (rtn.) 787 998
- navigátor: F/O Pavel Kohn – Kubín (npor.)
- palubní mechanik: F/Sgt. František Hecl (
visit link) (št. rtm.)
- radiotelegraf. – strelci: F/Lt. Alois Uvízl (
visit link) (npor.)
P/O Ján Timko (ppor.)
Sgt. Herbert BECK (rtn.)
- zadní strelec: W/O Ladislav Kadlec (št. rtm.)