SERVICE WITH R.A.F.

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 39, 15 February 1941, Page 10

SERVICE WITH R.A.F.

.44 ENEMY PLANES SHOT DOWN

(British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, February 13

Czecho-Slovak airmen stationed in Britain, who already number about 1000, with many more being trained, have struck hard at the enemy during the past six months. They have taken part in the bombing of Berlin and 24 places in the Ruhr, north-western Germany, and enemy-occupied territory. Their fighters have shot down 44 enemy planes, or 59 including probables

The Czechoslovak Air Force comprises bombing and fighting squadrons. More than 40 Czecho-Slovak pilots are distributed among various English squadrons, whereas the Czecho-Slovak Army has been constituted as an independent body working in conjunction with the British Army. The air force' is under British command. The squadron leaders, however, are Czechoslovak, and a Czecho-Slovak inspectorate has been set up in the Air Ministry. The language used in service is English. Most of the pilots came from France, though some reached England from Czecho-Slovakia via Scandinavia before the outbreak of" war. Many had adventurous escapes, including some who fled to Poland, where they fought against the Germans and then reached France via the Balkans, Turkey, and Syria. There they re-formed into fighting units, but they had to flee a third time when France collapsed. Some of them simply crossed the Channel. Others had to go via North Africa. Here they were given new training. Though language difficulties have been great, they were soon overcome, and vwthin a few weeks they went into action. Hurricanes flown by Czecho-Slovak pilots scored their best bag in the great aif battle over London.,