Rudolf Rohacek
The 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron was formed at Duxford,
Cambridgeshire on 29th August 1940, and was crewed with escaped
Czechoslovak pilots. Initially, the squadron was equipped with Hawker Hurricane
MK I. By September 1940, the squadron
had moved to RAF Speke, Liverpool.
It was here that it joined in the defence of Merseyside.
The following March, the squadron moved to RAF Valley,
Anglesey, where it began to fly convoy patrols over the Irish Sea. April, the
squadron moved to RAF Jurby, Isle of Man. In May 1941, the squadron was equipped
with Hawker Hurricane MK II. In July,
the squadron moved to RAF Martlesham Heath, Suffolk, and again to RAF Heathfield,
Ayrshire in August.
In October 1941, the squadron was reequipped with
Supermarine Spitfire MK IIA and again in December with Supermarine Spitfire MK
VB/B. 1942, the squadron saw the first
part of the year, when it moved to RAF Fairwood, on 1st
January, then in February to RAF Angle, Pembrokeshire., and returning to
Fairwood, in April. This time, the
squadron’s main duties were coastal patrols and shipping reconnaissance
flights.
The squadron moved again during July 1942, to RAF Harrowbeer,
Devon, and on 19th August 1942, provided air cover for the Operation
Jubilee raid on Dieppe.
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| light Lieutenant Rudolf Rohacek |
Rudolf was born in November 1914, Marianske Hory, a
small village near Ostrava, Eastern Czechoslovakia. He studied engineering,
graduating 1934, its during this time of study that Rudolf developed an
interest in aviation and wanted to become a pilot.
In October 1934, Rudolf applied to be a cadet officer
with the Air Force Reserve Officers School, based at Prostejov. Having been accepted Rudolf, undertook his
basic military training.
After his training, Rudolf was accepted in 1935 for training
as an aerial observer at the Military Aviation, training was completed in
1937. Rudolf was selected for pilot
training, where he had to return to Prostejov.
Rudolf graduated in 1938, but he was selected to train as a fighter
pilot, and he graduated from this training that same year.
In March 1939, Germany occupied Czechoslovakia,
and it became a German Protectorate.
The Czechoslovak Air Force was disbanded, and the pilots were allowed to
enlist with the Luftwaffe or join the Lufthansa. All personnel had been disbanded by the time
Rudolf had 238 flying hours.
Rudolf was able to cross to Poland, with the help of Obrana
Naroda (Defence of Nations) and Svaz Letcu on 28th June 1939 and
reported to the Czechoslovak Consulate at Krakow.
The Polish authorities sadly showed little interest in the
airmen of the Czechoslovak Air Force, and they wouldn’t allow independent
Czechoslovak units to be established. With lengthy negotiations between the
Czechoslovak Diplomats in France and the UK, the French allowed a permit of
4,000 Czechoslovaks to join the French Foreign Legion, on condition that they
enlisted for 5 years.
Meanwhile, during this time, Rudolf transferred to the Male
Bronowice, a former Polish barracks on the outskirts of Krakow.
In July 1939, Rudolf and others left the camp and
boarded a Polish trans-Atlantic passenger ship en route to South America, then
arriving at Boulogne on July 31st.
10th May 1940, the Germans invaded France. 23rd May, Rudolf had completed 13
hours of flying at Chartres, where he and other pilots were in the process of
being transferred to Cazaux airbase, southwest of France.
Before the transfer process could be completed, Rudolf was
transferred to the I’Armee de I’Air, Dugny.
Rudolf was ranked Sergeant.
15th June with Operation Aerial, to be carried
out, the evacuation of Allied military forces and civilians from Western
France. The airmen having been released
from I’Armee de I’Air were instructed to go to Bordeaux, where a ship would
evacuate them to the UK.
Arriving in the UK, the airmen were transferred to RAF Innsworth,
Gloucestershire for vetting security. Rudolf was accepted into the Royal Air Force
Volunteer Reserve ranked Pilot Officer.
On the 12th of July, he was posted to the newly formed
310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron and became one of its founding members.
In August 1940, Rudolf was posted to the 6
Operational Training Unit where he undertook a Hurricane conversion
course.
10th September 1940, Rudolf was posted to 601
(County of London) Squadron and was equipped with a Hurricane MKI and posted to
Exeter.
In October, Rudolf was posted to RAF Chilbolton,
Devon. It was here that Rudolf achieved
combat success in an operation flight during the Battle of Britain.
November 1940, whilst flying a Hurricane MKI, Rudolf
encountered damage to his plane, and he was forced to land at Blandford,
Dorset. Rudolf escaped uninjured.
Rudolf remained with the squadron until April 1941, when he
was posted to the 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron, based at Jurby, Isle of
Man.
In January 1942, the squadron moved to RAF Fairwood,
where Rudolf was promoted to Flight Lieutenant.
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| Spitfire Mk Vb |
That April, Rudolf lost his life. On the 27th, the squadron scrambled from Fairwood, they were ordered to patrol the Bath area under the command of RAF Cllerne Flight Controller, to intercept a reconnaissance Ju88 which had been carrying out a meteorological survey. Rudolf was flying a Spitfire Mk Vb.
Rudolf’s plane descended from a height of 15,000 ft and
crashed and burst into flames on impact.
The cause of the accident was that Rudolf lost consciousness due to
a faulty oxygen device.
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| Rudolf Rohacek St. Hillary credit - findagrave |
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