RAF veteran’s return

After more than 98 years, a former member of the Czechoslovak Army in France and the Czechoslovak air units in Great Britain, operating under the British Royal Air Force (RAF), Sergeant First Class (Ret.) Pavel Chlapík symbolically returned home. A commemoration ceremony was held in the town of Melčice – Lieskové on 3 July, where his ashes were laid to rest in a family grave. Among  guests present at the ceremony was also Col Martin Stoklasa, Trenčín Garrison and Training and Support Forces Commander, and Col Vladimír Samek, former SVK Defence Attaché in the UK. Pavol Chlapík left to France in February 1940, where he became a member of the Czechoslovak Army.

After the surrender of France, he went to the UK, where he served in No. 312 Czechoslovak Squadron RAF and in other air units. After the commemoration service, Edward, son of Pavol Chlapík, handed over father’s military medals and decorations to Miroslav Matiáš, Mayor of Melčice – Lieskové.