Josef Janeba

 

The second Czech who was buried at St. Hillary in May 1942, was Pilot Officer Josef Janeba, who also served with the 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron, who was killed on the 2^nd May aged 27 years.

Josef Janeba

Josef was born in 1915 in the village of Blesno; however, he lived in the nearby town of Hradec Kralove. After completing his education, Josef found employment as a machine fitter at Prokop Company. Josef was also a member of the local East Bohemain Aeroclub and trained a part of the pilots of action.  1936, Josef was admitted to the School of Aviation in Prostejov. 

After graduating from the Forest Regiment, Josef was assigned to the 4^th Air Regiment and the 34^th Squadron based at Hradec Kralove.  In September 1938, Josef was appointed a field pilot. After the German invasion of Bohemia, Josef along with a group decided to flee across the border into Poland.  From Poland, Josef arrived at the port of Calais.

10^th September 1939, Josef reported to the airport at Chartres and a week later was reported as an operation pilot.  During this period, Josef shot down 1 ½ German aircraft whilst he was shot at twice.   When France capitulates, he flies with his squadron, to Algiers and then onto Oran.  From there the squadron departs for Casablanca where it sails via Gibraltar and Cardiff.

August 1940, Josef is accepted into the Royal Air Force, and a month later, he is assigned to the 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron.  Josef is assigned to RAF Upavon, at a school for flying teachers.  Christmas 1941 he transferred to the 9^th Squadron, as a flying teacher.

In March 1942, Josef was transferred to the 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron again. 

Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb

2^nd May 1942, whilst taking off a Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb, at RAF Fairwood, Josef collied with another Spitfire, being flown by Sergeant Frantisek Vaculik, by catching its tail, and thus causing it to break off.  Josef’s Spitfire crashed into Kilvrough Farmyard, Park Mill.

Josef Janeba
St. Hillary
credit - findagrave

Josef managed to bail out, however, too low and he was killed in the accident.  Following an investigation into the collision, Josef was identified as the culprit.

After his wounds were healed, Frantisek was assigned to the 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron, in April 1943. 

Frantisek Vaculik

Frantisek volunteered to be transferred to the Soviet Union in 1943.  Whilst there he was one of the founding members of the 1^st Czechoslovak Independent Fighter Regiment, where he took part in the fighting with the Solak National Uprising.  September 20^th 1944, Frantisek who was flying a Lavochkin La-5FN was shot down by anti-aircraft defences. Having no documents on his body, Frantisek was buried as an unknown Soviet pilot in the local evangelical cemetery.  Following the end of the war, Frantisek’s brother tracked his grave, and on the 23^rd of September 1945, Frantisek was buried with honours at his native Buchlovice.