Honouring Czechoslovak WWII Veterans in Scotland🇨🇿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Following the 80th Anniversary of VE Day, I welcomed descendants and families of Czechoslovak soldiers, airmen, and members of the wartime support network who served in Scotland and the UK during World War II. The event took place at Edinburgh's City Chambers, where we were received by Lord Provost Robert Aldridge, who provided the historic Diamond Jubilee Room for this special occasion.

Among our speakers were:

Deputy Consul General Jana Karla Režná from Manchester, granddaughter of František Fajtl (RAF 310, 313 Squadron)

Dr. Paul Millar, former Honorary Consul and founder of the Memorial to Czechoslovak Paratroopers in Arisaig, son of Pavel Chmelař (RAF 311)

Adam Kautský, grandnephew of Karel Štrégl (RAF 311)

Karel Fialka, son of Karel Fialka (RAF 311)

Andrew Hall, grandson of Josef Vašák (MacKenzie-Gillanders) (RAF 310)

Mark Albert-Recht, grandson of Karl Walter Recht (British Royal Army Medical Corps) and Masha Recht (Czech Red Cross)

Edwyn Newman, son of Ladislav Newman/Neumann (Czechoslovak Brigade)

Paul Brna, son of Pavel Brna (SOE Arisaig)

It was an afternoon filled with moving stories, as families recalled the wartime experiences of their ancestors. A tribute was paid by Alenka Soukup, daughter of Lumír and Catriona Soukup, the founders of the Scottish-Czechoslovak House, in recognition of their tireless efforts to support Czechoslovak soldiers in Edinburgh during the war.

An addition to the event was a whisky tasting, prepared by Lenka Whyles from The Scotch Whisky Experience. Whisky played a surprising role in SOE training, where agents were tested to see whether alcohol might loosen their resolve and cause them to reveal sensitive information about their missions.

In a solemn moment of remembrance, we laid a wreath featuring Czech and Scottish flags at the war memorial outside City Chambers, honouring those who fought for our freedom. During this tribute, I presented a letter from Gerry Manolas, Chair of the Memorial Association for Free Czechoslovak Veterans, whose grandfather trained in SOE Arisaig.

Our commemoration concluded with a special visit to Kokoschka’s painting Zrání, gift to Scotland from the Czechoslovak government in Exile in 1942, where Dr. Patricia Allerston, Deputy Director and Chief Curator of the National Galleries of Scotland, guided us through the painting’s significance, marking this poignant anniversary.

"I would like to thank you all—Lord Provost for the premises, speakers and their partners for honouring your family heroes with their stories, dr. Patricia Allerston for organising a visit to the National Galleries of Scotland and your talk about Zrání painting. Thank you, Lenka Whyles, for the whisky tasting, Věra Mužíková for taking notes for Skotsko.co.uk, Fiona Dodds, owner of the former Scottish-Czechoslovak house, Prof. Wendy Ugolini from University of Edinburgh, Dita Sanchez and Aogán Murray for your support. Thank you, Den Mather, for the wreath."

War Memorial on the Royal Mile, Edinburgh

I also mentioned families I know in person, and I paid tribute to their Czechoslovak ancestors, who served in WWII in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK.

Gerry Manolas (England) and her grandfather Bohuslav Šulc (trained in SOE Arisaig)

Dr George Scott (England) his father Jiří Šnábl (trained in SOE Arisaig)

Chris and Georgina Pavel (England) and his father Jiří Pavel (trained in SOE Arisaig)

Josh (Edinburgh) and Rachel Robinson and their grandfather Karel Roubíček (Czechoslovak Brigade, trained in Scotland)

Kasparek family (Edinburgh) and their great uncle Rudolf Mašek (311. squadron)

Jícha family (Glasgow) and their relative Václav Jícha (310. squadron, burried in Haddington)

Antonín Šubrt (Czechia) and his father Antonín Šubrt (trained in SOE Arisaig)

Vladimír Hora (Czechia) and his parents, Katarina Braunova who worked in Scottish-Czechoslovak house and his father, soldier Tibor Herzog (Czechoslovak Brigade)

I paid tribute to four brave men from my hometown Dvůr Králové nad Labem who all served in 311. squadron (Eduard Zbroj, who died in Tain, Václav Netík, Bohuslav Hubený and mentioned earlier Karel Štrégl)

I paid tribute to T. G. Masaryk grandson Leonard Revilliod who died on Tiree (RAF training flight).

I also remembered others who served and died in Scotland and I thanked to the Commonwealth War Grave Commission for looking after more than 40 graves around Scotland.

Some stories of the Czechoslovak WWII veterans can be found https://www.skotsko.co.uk/osobnosti

Introduction

Karel Fialka (tribute to his father Karel Fialka)

Andrew Hall paying tribute to his grandfather Josef Vašák

Edwyn Newman paying tribute to his father Ladislav Newman/Neumann

Adam Kautsky paying tribute to his great uncle Karel Štrégl

Mark Albert Recht paying tribute to his grandparents

Paul Brna with his wife Shelagh paying tribute to his father Pavel Brna

Jana Karla Režná paying tribute to her grandfather František Fajtl

Two of Ladislav Newman's medals in the front, all František Fajtl's medals above.

Book written by Walter Karl Recht