JAROMIR STRIHAVKA
June 27, 1914 Jaromir was born to Adolf and Antonie in Lipnice near Dvůr Králové. Between 1920-
1925 he attended the primary school in Lipnice and from 1925 to 1928 in Dvůr Králové nad Labem.
In October 1932 he joined the Air force Academy in Prostějov for two year and then in 1934 moved
to the Aviation Regiment 3 in Pieš'tany. Already in Air force Academy he met several future airmen
of RAF (Doucha, Plzák, Vavřínek, Votruba). In 1936 he makes emergency landing caused by damage
to the engine, but without consequences. In April 1938 he finishes a night flying course. During the
mobilisation in 1938 he serves as an observation pilot with the rank of rotný in the aviation regiment
3 in Spišská Nová Ves.
After the German occupation of the country he leaves the Czechoslovakia by the so-called “Polish
road“and finally on 1st August 1939 he lands in Calais. On the 23rd August 1939 he joined the
French Air Force and after training in Avord he was assigned to GC/2 in April 1940.
In June 1940 he leaves France and on the 2nd August he is accepted into the RAF Volunteer Reserve.
After the necessary training he joins No. 85 Fighter Squadron in Church Fenton and after a week he
moves to No. 310 Czechoslovak Fighter Squadron in Duxford. On the 15th August 1941 he is
transferred to No.19 Fighter Squadron, where he served until his return to the No. 310 Czechoslovak
Fighter Squadron on the 12th June 1942. One of the aircraft that Jaromír Střihavka often flew
operationally is still airworthy Spitfire MkV, AR501, NN-A now currently with decals DU-E based in
the Shuttleworth Collection. Jaromir between 15th Aug 1942 to 31st Jan 1943 served as an instructor
with Nos. 56 and 57 Operational Training Units. On 1st Feb 1943 he re-joined 310sq till 22nd Apr 1943.
On 23rd Apr 1943 to went to Fighter Command School of Tactics till 14th May 1943. On 14th May 1943
till 3rd July 1944 he returned to 310 sq during which time he flew operational flights during D Day.
On the 13th November 1943 in uniform he married Charlotte Wurf in the Catholic Church of St. Mary
in Cambridge.
On the 15th May 1945 he was assigned to No.313 Czechoslovak Fighter Squadron. and returned
home on August 13, 1945 with No 313 squadron flying Spitfire Mk lXe, RY-N, MJ752. Czechoslovak
pilots (members of RAF) landed with their Spitfires at the Ruzyne airport.
He continued to serve in the Czechoslovak Air Force and in 1947 he moved to the VLU Prague as a
test pilot for acceptance of new or repaired a/c into CzAF
In August 1947 he planned immigration to Ecuador to teach son of Ecuador president how to fly -
contract did not materialise due to ship they had tickets for sunk.
In June 1948 he left most of his possessions in his flat in Prague at Strossmayerová 13, Prague 7 and
escaped to Germany where the RAF eventually flew him back to the UK in June 1948. On 18th June
he was declared a deserter. His wife left Czechoslovakia via Vienna then also returned to the UK. The
were both naturalized on 19th January 1950 and changed name to Scott.
Due to his age he was not re-trained on jet aircraft and he mostly flew light aircraft. He retired from
the RAFVR in February 1960 and retained the rank of Flight Lieutenant, his age and minimal
experience with a civil air operations didn't allow him to obtain a commercial pilot license even
though he wanted to train. The total flying hours in operational and non-operational flights was a
very respectable 2200 hours having flown in the Czech, French and RAF, not counting hours flown in
Cambridge RAFVR flying Chipmunks etc and his private flying.
He joined Pye at Cambridge as a Television Engineering Standards Inspector until he retired.
On 13th September 1991 Jaromir returned to Czechoslovakia for the rehabilitation Ceremony in
Prague and was given the rank of Plukovnik (Colonel)
The last flight he made was on 23rd October 1965 in a Tiger Moth based at the Cambridge Private
Flying Group which he was a member since 1953. On 17th September 2021 his son Alexander was
fortunate to be taken up in the same aircraft by Andrew Wood.
Jaromír Scott – Střihavka died on the 9th July 1994 in Cambridge and he is buried in his hometown
Lipnice in the Czech Republic.
Jaromir’s name is on two memorials for Battle of Britain Pilots one being on the Embankment in
London and the other in Capel Le Ferne in Kent
rank procedure:
01.10.1932 – cz vojín
16.02.1935 – cz svobodník
11.09.1935 – cz desátník
17.04.1936 – cz četař
23.08.1939 – fr Soldat
30.11.1939 – fr Caporal chef
15.07.1940 – uk AC2
18.09.1940 – uk Sgt
01.03.1941 – uk F/Sgt
13.01.1942 – uk P/O
26.10.1942 – uk F/O
13.01.1944 – uk F/Lt
30.06.1945 – cz nadporučík
02.03.1946 – cz kapitán
28.10.1946 – cz štábní kapitán
Degraded to a private, then after leaving for exile removed all decorations,
marked as deserter, and they issued a warrant.
13-09-1991 Plukovnik (Colonel)
Czech medals awarded
Czech War Cross X4 (one of these presented by President Benes)
Czech Gallantry Medal X3 (one of these presented by President Benes)
Czech Medal of Merit Silver
Czech Medal Abroad France and UK
UK medals awarded
1939-1945 Star with Battle of Britain Clasp
Aircrew Europe Star with France and Germany Clasp
War Medal 1939-1945
UNITS SERVED WHILE IN RAF IN UK
56 OTU 1-10-40 to 15-10-40
85 sq 15-10-40 to 22-10-40
310 sq 22-10-40 to 15-09-41
19 sq 15-09-41 to 15-06-42
310 sq 15-06-42 to 15-08-42
57 OTU 15-08-42 to 26-09-42
56 OTU 26-09-42 to 31-01-43
310 sq 01-02-43 to 22-04-43
Fighter Command School of Tactics 23-04-43 to 14-05-43
310 sq 14-05-43 to 03-07-44
Czech Depot 03-07-44
313 sq 24-05-45 to 26-07-45
Flew one of the Spitfires of 313 sq on 3rd Aug 1945 arrives Ruzyne, Prague on 13th Aug 1945
June 27, 1914 Jaromir was born to Adolf and Antonie in Lipnice near Dvůr Králové. Between 1920-
1925 he attended the primary school in Lipnice and from 1925 to 1928 in Dvůr Králové nad Labem.
In October 1932 he joined the Air force Academy in Prostějov for two year and then in 1934 moved
to the Aviation Regiment 3 in Pieš'tany. Already in Air force Academy he met several future airmen
of RAF (Doucha, Plzák, Vavřínek, Votruba). In 1936 he makes emergency landing caused by damage
to the engine, but without consequences. In April 1938 he finishes a night flying course. During the
mobilisation in 1938 he serves as an observation pilot with the rank of rotný in the aviation regiment
3 in Spišská Nová Ves.
After the German occupation of the country he leaves the Czechoslovakia by the so-called “Polish
road“and finally on 1st August 1939 he lands in Calais. On the 23rd August 1939 he joined the
French Air Force and after training in Avord he was assigned to GC/2 in April 1940.
In June 1940 he leaves France and on the 2nd August he is accepted into the RAF Volunteer Reserve.
After the necessary training he joins No. 85 Fighter Squadron in Church Fenton and after a week he
moves to No. 310 Czechoslovak Fighter Squadron in Duxford. On the 15th August 1941 he is
transferred to No.19 Fighter Squadron, where he served until his return to the No. 310 Czechoslovak
Fighter Squadron on the 12th June 1942. One of the aircraft that Jaromír Střihavka often flew
operationally is still airworthy Spitfire MkV, AR501, NN-A now currently with decals DU-E based in
the Shuttleworth Collection. Jaromir between 15th Aug 1942 to 31st Jan 1943 served as an instructor
with Nos. 56 and 57 Operational Training Units. On 1st Feb 1943 he re-joined 310sq till 22nd Apr 1943.
On 23rd Apr 1943 to went to Fighter Command School of Tactics till 14th May 1943. On 14th May 1943
till 3rd July 1944 he returned to 310 sq during which time he flew operational flights during D Day.
On the 13th November 1943 in uniform he married Charlotte Wurf in the Catholic Church of St. Mary
in Cambridge.
On the 15th May 1945 he was assigned to No.313 Czechoslovak Fighter Squadron. and returned
home on August 13, 1945 with No 313 squadron flying Spitfire Mk lXe, RY-N, MJ752. Czechoslovak
pilots (members of RAF) landed with their Spitfires at the Ruzyne airport.
He continued to serve in the Czechoslovak Air Force and in 1947 he moved to the VLU Prague as a
test pilot for acceptance of new or repaired a/c into CzAF
In August 1947 he planned immigration to Ecuador to teach son of Ecuador president how to fly -
contract did not materialise due to ship they had tickets for sunk.
In June 1948 he left most of his possessions in his flat in Prague at Strossmayerová 13, Prague 7 and
escaped to Germany where the RAF eventually flew him back to the UK in June 1948. On 18th June
he was declared a deserter. His wife left Czechoslovakia via Vienna then also returned to the UK. The
were both naturalized on 19th January 1950 and changed name to Scott.
Due to his age he was not re-trained on jet aircraft and he mostly flew light aircraft. He retired from
the RAFVR in February 1960 and retained the rank of Flight Lieutenant, his age and minimal
experience with a civil air operations didn't allow him to obtain a commercial pilot license even
though he wanted to train. The total flying hours in operational and non-operational flights was a
very respectable 2200 hours having flown in the Czech, French and RAF, not counting hours flown in
Cambridge RAFVR flying Chipmunks etc and his private flying.
He joined Pye at Cambridge as a Television Engineering Standards Inspector until he retired.
On 13th September 1991 Jaromir returned to Czechoslovakia for the rehabilitation Ceremony in
Prague and was given the rank of Plukovnik (Colonel)
The last flight he made was on 23rd October 1965 in a Tiger Moth based at the Cambridge Private
Flying Group which he was a member since 1953. On 17th September 2021 his son Alexander was
fortunate to be taken up in the same aircraft by Andrew Wood.
Jaromír Scott – Střihavka died on the 9th July 1994 in Cambridge and he is buried in his hometown
Lipnice in the Czech Republic.
Jaromir’s name is on two memorials for Battle of Britain Pilots one being on the Embankment in
London and the other in Capel Le Ferne in Kent
rank procedure:
01.10.1932 – cz vojín
16.02.1935 – cz svobodník
11.09.1935 – cz desátník
17.04.1936 – cz četař
23.08.1939 – fr Soldat
30.11.1939 – fr Caporal chef
15.07.1940 – uk AC2
18.09.1940 – uk Sgt
01.03.1941 – uk F/Sgt
13.01.1942 – uk P/O
26.10.1942 – uk F/O
13.01.1944 – uk F/Lt
30.06.1945 – cz nadporučík
02.03.1946 – cz kapitán
28.10.1946 – cz štábní kapitán
Degraded to a private, then after leaving for exile removed all decorations,
marked as deserter, and they issued a warrant.
13-09-1991 Plukovnik (Colonel)
Czech medals awarded
Czech War Cross X4 (one of these presented by President Benes)
Czech Gallantry Medal X3 (one of these presented by President Benes)
Czech Medal of Merit Silver
Czech Medal Abroad France and UK
UK medals awarded
1939-1945 Star with Battle of Britain Clasp
Aircrew Europe Star with France and Germany Clasp
War Medal 1939-1945
UNITS SERVED WHILE IN RAF IN UK
56 OTU 1-10-40 to 15-10-40
85 sq 15-10-40 to 22-10-40
310 sq 22-10-40 to 15-09-41
19 sq 15-09-41 to 15-06-42
310 sq 15-06-42 to 15-08-42
57 OTU 15-08-42 to 26-09-42
56 OTU 26-09-42 to 31-01-43
310 sq 01-02-43 to 22-04-43
Fighter Command School of Tactics 23-04-43 to 14-05-43
310 sq 14-05-43 to 03-07-44
Czech Depot 03-07-44
313 sq 24-05-45 to 26-07-45
Flew one of the Spitfires of 313 sq on 3rd Aug 1945 arrives Ruzyne, Prague on 13th Aug 1945
Photos from 1932 to 1934
When the Germans invaded Czechoslovakia a lot of the Czech pilots escaped to France and joined the French Air Force.
When the Germans invaded France again the Czech pilots escaped by boat to England and joined the RAF
See a few photos of a wreath l laid at the Battle of Britain Memorial on the Embankment with Lord Piers Dowding in Sept this year with the names of all the 88 Battle of Britain Pilots and a few photos taken at Duxford in Cambridge where 310sq was based during the Battle of Britain
See a few photos of a wreath l laid at the Battle of Britain Memorial on the Embankment with Lord Piers Dowding in Sept this year with the names of all the 88 Battle of Britain Pilots and a few photos taken at Duxford in Cambridge where 310sq was based during the Battle of Britain
310sq photos of President Benes visit Exeter and Strihavka's logbook page for D Day 1944
19sq comprised of a few Czechs when they were based in Norfolk at Matlask
19sq comprised of a few Czechs when they were based in Norfolk at Matlask
Photos from return home after the war another pilot Ota Hruby wedding in 1947 with other pilots
One photo with Strihavka and his brother Viktor that worked for the railway in Dvur Kralove
One photo with Strihavka and his brother Viktor that worked for the railway in Dvur Kralove
SOBOTNÍ ČESKÁ A SLOVENSKÁ ŠKOLA: Henry Cavendish Primary School, Dingley Lane, Streatham, London SW16 1AU Mapa
NEDĚLNÍ ČESKÁ ŠKOLKA: Velehrad, 39 Lonsdale Road, Barnes, London SW13 9JP Mapa
KONTAKT: [email protected]
MAILING LIST: Zde
|
ZA PODPORY
|
|
|
|
© 2023 Česká a slovenská škola Okénko