ČESKÝ SVAZ LETECTVÍ

Engineering Officer of No 310 Cz Fighter Sqn Henry Prokop had left his Motherland on May 16, 1939, but spent ten days working for a miller nr the town of Shumbark, provisioned instead of money. On the initiative of the Cz Consulate`s Military Attache Henry left for Krakow on May 27 and on July 8 he signed for the Foreign Legion. Henry Prokop was in the group of 190 Cz airmen who embarked the Castelholm ship in the Gdynia harbour on July 28. Battered by the gale the Czechs prevented the Swedish captain from laying the anchor in Germany – they would be arrested on the spot - and the liner arrived at Calais.

Henry went through the St. Jean Fort on Aug 23 and via the Marseille and Oran ports to Sidi-bel-Abbes in N Africa.  In the Foreign Legion from Aug 28 to Oct 17, 1939, though he should have joined the French AF on the outbreak of WWII. In June 1940 after the surrender of France Henry Prokop embarked at Bordeaux and arrived in Falmouth on June 23. The former British AF Attache in Prague W/Cdr RAF Beaumont was in charge of establishing the Cz Air Force in England and events moved each day. July 10 signed Henry his contract for the RAF and a week later he arrived at Duxford. Courtesy of the Valachs.

Henry Prokop was invited for the Fifty year D-Day Celebration held by Her Majesty. He was the Prosteyov Weekly`s regular correspondent. On Sept 13, 1991 Henry and many other RAF men took over the Full Rehabilitation Decree. The Mass for all the Perished was held in the St. Vithus Cathedral on the following day. But on principle Henry did not agree with the Czechoslovak political scene`s course after Nov 1989, because the ones responsible for the atrocities against their own nation in the 1948 – 1989 time frame were not held to account early 90s. 

Henry Prokop was invited for the Her Majesty Meeting Ceremony  held in the Betlehem Chapel on the occasion of her visit to Prague on March 5, 1996. Henry intended to come to Prosteyov in Oct 1998 due to reunveil of the Cz. first president`s statue in the Masaryk Sq. scheduled for Oct 28 – the Cz. National Day. But Henry Prokop died in England on Oct 27. His urn was thanks to the Valachs laid in the Columbarium of the Prosteyov Cemetery on Oct 23, 1999, beside the one of Vaclav Hanka.

Fighter pilot of No 313 Cz Sqn W/O Otakar Kresta was downed on April 12, 1941 over France and spent the rest of WWII in POW camps. After the end of hostilities an flying instructor at the Prosteyov single-engined SFTS, but after the Communist seized the power was sent for eternal leave and demoted to the rank of private. Enquired into allegations of so-called Imperialistic Plotting and only a few were brave enough to give a civilian job to him due to political orders. Presented the Full Rehabilitation Decree by the Defence Minister in 1991. Courtesy of George Dohnal.

Holder of both the Cz and British Piloting Licences Joe Sadlo MBE served as a mechanic at Prosteyov AFB from 1935 and in Aug 1937 as a Chieffy of the Cz aerobatical squad in Zurich had to replace the jammed engine of the P/O Hlado`s aircraft. In 1940 warned by Mrs Hamsik that her husband Joe Hamsik had just been nabbed by the Gestapo, Joe Sadlo escaped through gardens and via Yugoslavia fled to UK. Served with No 311 Sqn as a Workshop Chieffy. Third from left front of an aerobatic B-122 biplane. Courtesy of Jaroslav Sadlo.

After WWII Joe Sadlo served at Havlickuv Brod AFB. In 1948 given an eternal leave, in 1950 sentenced for nine years, did three in the Jihlava prison. His life was saved by moving to the village of Dubany, but early 60 was Joe jailed at the Mirov prison on a trumped-up charges. Died at Dubany on Nov 14, 1965. Members of the Cz Aerobatic Squad being welcomed after their return from the Intl Aerobatic Meeting held in Zurich. 

John Sigmund served with No 312 Sqn as a Fitter II E. His father was tortured to death by the Nazis in 1942. John with Lt-Col Ret Joe Vana and Lt-Col Ret Ing. Emil Padior wrote a book „ Members of the Cz Air Force in the RAF“ in 1998. Courtesy of Mr Smicka, emailed by Mr Joe Lusseek –  John Sigmund third from R, his younger sister Jitka Patterson next to him and family at the Slatinice Cem front of the Bros Sigmunds` grave. He died on Sep 11, 2011 in Newcastle.

L to R  Musalek Adolf, Benedikt Frank, Mlejnecky Frank and Zadrobilek Ladislav during the May 1938 Allert at the town of Otrokovice. As one of only three Cz pilots undergoing the special gunnery course, after WWII Zadrobilek acted not only as a flying instructor at Prosteyov SFTS and Olomouc Flying School instructing the Israelis there. After Frank Perina`s flying to the West Zadrobilek was in charge of gunnery practice at the Malacky shooting range.

Joe Kubak instructed pilot pupils at No 31 EFTS De Winton, Canada from April 1, 1943 together with Charles Vildomec. Taken to the left of Charles. Thanks to his experiences was Joe appointed Commander of the Stichovice twin-engined SFTS.  In 1949 was sacked for his „ political unreliability“. Persecuted as morally as professionally, Joe died in Brno on Aug 23, 1975. Courtesy of Mr Charles Vildomec Jr.

Rudolf Lanz served his apprenticeship as locksmith-car mechanic. For exile via Poland. He served with No 311 Sqn as Flight Mechanic E. Due to Rudolph`s fleeding was his sister sent to Germany to work there for the Third Reich and his brother was tortured in the Brno Kounic Dorm Facility. Rudolf Lanz died at the Victoria Netley Hospital on Oct 29, 1943. Courtesy of his niece Rose Fisher.

Charles Rychnovsky graduated from the Prosteyov Secondary School of Trade and after doing his military service he underwent the Reserve AF Officer Course. He left his Motherland in July 1939 and via the Foreign Legion and France to UK. As a navigator of No 311 Sqn amassed 31 sorties over Europe and met his death on April 11, 1942 homeward from Essen. All hands lost. At this time his English wife Joyce gave birth to his son Charles, who lives in Norwich. Courtesy of Mrs Jarmila Heclova.

Frank Brezovsky entered Prosteyov EFTS on Sept 1, 1936. For exile via Poland and France. From May 16 to June 13, 1940 he took part in the French campaign as a fighter pilot of the ELD Chartres Improvized Group. In the RAF first with No 85 British Sqn from Oct 14 to 22, from Oct 22, 1940 to March 19, 1941 with No 310 Cz Sqn. In the Army Cooperation Unit from Jan 29, 1944. He survived the war and released from the Forces on April 12, 1946. He died at the town of Cheb on Feb 15, 1959. Courtesy of his daughter Helena Koday.