Bohuslav Kovarik DFM
Cz No 311 Sqn´s AG and later No 68 Sqn´s Radar Operator was born a hundred years ago.
His escapades were put on paper by Mr Martin Vrana. Martin´s grandfather W/O Ladislav Bobek was crewed up with Sgt Kovarik while serving with the Cz Flight of No 68 Night Fighter Sqn. This ´Bohuslav Kovarik´ essay has been seen at : www.fcafa.wordpress.com since Apr 6, 2014.
Both the pilot and the R/O are mentioned on No RAF 02 panel - HERE
You can also read about them in a ´Between the Sea and the Stars´ Book authored by Mr Martin Vrana - see the Update dated Sep 5, 2015.
F/Sgt Kovarik and F/O Bobek should have been awarded once more for an event occuring on the night of Apr 28, 1943. Brainchild of the RCAF. Taking off from Peterhead, they flew a Beaufighter Mk VI F WM-L. Vectored by the ´Ringdown´ GC at 12 th ft on a said to be Fw 200 Condor´. Ordered to down him at once without identifying first. Approaching to this so-called adversary W/O Kovarik recognized the silhouette of a Wellington with failing IFF on his radar screen. F/O Bobek was warned from opening fire by the R/O in time. Matter of seconds. The Beaufighter crew radioed to the GC the aircraft was a friend. The GC Operator insisted on shooting this aircraft down threatening both of them with punishment for not following the order. F/O Bobek and F/O Kovarik ignored him. They observed the Wellington signalling correctly with navigation lights while crossing the Scottish coast. That reason for the pilot responded by his Beaufighter´s left and port navigation lights on for several seconds only. The rear gunner of the Wellington signalled correctly with his torch. The light signal was altered twelve times round the clock in that area. Both F/O Bobek and F/Sgt Kovarik went on playing deaf ear on the G/C operator´s threats. Having ordered to switch the Peterhead runway on the pilot turned the WM-L ´s navigation lights. He guided the Wellington to land. The G/C operator made a try to invite F/O Bobek and F/Sgt Kovarik for a noggin but they refused coldly.
Homeward from Essen, Germany this RCAF Sqn´s crew went astray. Six crewmen were obliged for their lives to deliberation of both the Cz airmen. There was no British objection to the Canadian proposal to award as W/O Kovarik as F/O Bobek. But the Czechoslovak Inspectorate refused to nod. Their reason was the WM-L crew had not follow the order and they should have been punished instead.
On July 2, 1941 six Czechoslovak crewmen of a R1516 Wellington belonging to No 311 Sqn were not as lucky as these Canadians. While heading home from Cherbourg the R1516´s IFF failed. The aircraft was downed by a Beaufighter belonging to No 604 Sqn. All hands lost.
R&R :
Betwwen the Sea and the Stars by Mr Martin Vrana ie Mezi morem a hvezdami - 2015