Strana 53
R7192, P/O Josef Příhoda, No. 111 Squadron, RAF Debden, Essex,
United Kingdom, February 1942
AR435, Sgt. František Loucký, No. 65 Squadron, RAF Gravesend, Kent, United Kingdom, July 1942
Josef Příhoda trained as a mechanic, but in
1935 he volunteered for the air force. Gradually,
he completed pilot training and a fighter course
at Aviation Regiment 4 in Hradec Králové. After
the occupation of the country on March 15, 1939,
he got to France via Poland, but with the
necessary Foreign Legion entry. During
September, finally, he was accepted into the
Armée de l’Air and training began. However, both
the designated ERC 571 and the GC III/4, located
in North Africa, had obsolete aircraft and did
not get into action. The fall of France meant
evacuation to the UK, where Josef Příhoda joined
the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Rated
Sergeant he retrained on Hurricanes and in
October 1940 joined No. 1 Squadron, with which
he intervened in the crucial Battle of Britain. This
was followed by night operations and offensive
actions over occupied Europe. In late September
1941 he transferred to No. 111 Squadron flying
with Spitfires. In mid-April 1942, already with
a reputation as a very experienced pilot, he joined
No. 313 Squadron. On October 23, he received the
DFC Distinguished Flying Cross for outstanding
combat action, including five confirmed and
two probable kills. He took part in many actions
over enemy territory and was killed in Operation
Ramrod 56, which targeted the Brest submarine
base. His Spitfire crashed in the sea. The Spitfires
of No. 111 Squadron, with which Příhoda flew in
late 1941-1942, wore night livery at the time with
a new modified C1 emblem on the fuselage in
a reduced form. With this livery Spitfire R7192,
JU
-
Y, Příhoda shot down one Bf 109 and damaged
another on February 12, 1942.
František Loucký began his combat activity within
the RAF on September 17, 1941, with No. 65 (East
India) Squadron flying Spitfires Mk.Vb. František
Loucký flew, among others, Spitfires codenamed
YT
-
E. The first one was serial number W3456,
the second AB133 and the third AR435. The AB133
and AR435 Spitfires bore Loucký’s nickname
Lucky painted under the windshield, while the
AR435 was accompanied by a small Czechoslovak
insignia. In June 1942, Loucký was transferred to
Czechoslovak No. 312 Squadron. There he flew
missions against targets in occupied Western
Europe, participated in air cover of bombers,
attacks against ships, etc. In the autumn of 1943,
he volunteered for the Czechoslovak fighter unit
in the USSR. This 1st Fighter Aviation Regiment
was sent to help the Slovak uprising (SNP) on
September 17, 1944. During the SNP battles, he
was severely wounded by enemy anti-aircraft fire
while attacking German tanks near Ružomberok
and was airlifted to the USSR for treatment.
He returned to the 1st Czechoslovak Fighter
Aviation Regiment after his recovery on
November 23, 1944 and on December 7. 1944
he was transferred to the newly formed 2nd
Czechoslovak Fighter Aviation Regiment, where
he served in training as a gunnery officer of the
unit and also flew to Prague-Letňany Airport
on May 16, 1945. Due to persistent difficulties
resulting from war injuries, he was discharged
from active military service on June 29, 1946.
In 1947 he published a book “I Stayed Alone”.
After his death, his book about the fallen airmen
of the Czechoslovak Foreign Resistance “Many
Did Not Fly”, was published.
KITS 10/2024
INFO Eduard
53
October 2024