WWII war hero, RAF pilot Antonin Spacek dies at 89 - Aircraft of World War II

evangilder · 09-25-2007, 11:37 AM

WWII war hero, RAF pilot Antonin Spacek dies at 89
[04-04-2007] By Daniela Lazarova

Born in 1917 in the town of Hradcany Antonin Spacek grew up dreaming of
becoming a professional soldier. He was a lieutenant in the
Czechoslovak army when the war broke out and he left his homeland via the so
called Balkan route going through Hungary, Yugoslavia and the Middle East
to join the free Czechoslovak units in France. He fought in France and
later served in Britain's RAF, returning to Normandy on D-Day with an
armored Czechoslovak brigade. Military historian Eduard Stehlik says that
Spacek was a soldier his country should have been proud of:
"Antonin Spacek was a man who always thought of others first. Before he
left the country he was active in the Resistance and undertook several
very dangerous missions in Slovakia. And when he fought abroad he
created a home base for other Czechs and Slovaks who served with the
allies. He was a truly courageous person."
While in Britain and France Antonin Spacek was a respected war hero he
received no recognition at home. In 1948 the communists took power in
his homeland and the role of Czech pilots who served in the RAF was
played down - because they had fought in the West. Spacek attempted to flee
the country with his family in order to avoid communist persecution
but only his British-born wife and child managed to get out. Antonin
Spacek was sentenced to ten years in a show trial and was sent to work in
the country's uranium mines. More than half a century was to pass before
he gained recognition. On the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings
he was awarded the Legion of Honour by President Jacques Chirac and last
year he received the highest Czech state distinction from President
Klaus - the Order of the White Lion. However beside the medals there was
little else. In an interview for Radio Prague in 2001 he complained
bitterly that 56 years after the war society had little interest in giving
its heroes a dignified old age.
"Most of us are around 80 years of age - I am 86 - and many of us are
alone. We need some help in our old age and nobody cares about it, you
see? "

Although he had reason to complain about the years of persecution and
neglect the thought uppermost in Antonin Spacek's mind was to leave a
legacy for the young generation.
"The thing is how to carry these ideas over to the young generation.
The problem is that the teachers don't know about it / our freedom fight/
they were educated during the communist regime. They never heard about
what happened. There are many people now who say the last time a Czech
soldier fought was at the Battle of the White Mountain, they never
fought, they are cowards and so on. And they don't acknowledge us. We were
the only army- among the allied group of armies- which was composed of
volunteers. The fight against the Nazis was fought here in the Czech
lands. We must persuade the young generation to keep in mind that the
Czechs are not cowards, that they know how to fight and when to fight for
independence and democracy. That is the message we would like to leave
after our deaths for the young generation."

http://img.radio.cz/pictures/ctk0704/spacek_antonin.jpg
http://img.radio.cz/pictures/valka2/spitfires.jpg
***************

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 09-25-2007, 11:55 AM

ccheese · 09-25-2007, 12:28 PM

Charles

v2 · 09-25-2007, 02:00 PM

Bf109_g · 09-25-2007, 06:26 PM

Maestro · 09-26-2007, 06:07 AM

Soundbreaker Welch? · 09-26-2007, 07:45 AM

Poor lonely Vet.

seesul · 09-26-2007, 09:34 AM

..."Most of us are around 80 years of age - I am 86 - and many of us are
alone. We need some help in our old age and nobody cares about it, you
see? " ...

Unfortunately he´s absolutely right. Our goverment is not able to value our vets. This is what gets me mad

Gnomey · 09-26-2007, 11:40 AM

Micdrow · 09-26-2007, 04:48 PM

Marcel · 09-26-2007, 05:34 PM

CRASHGATE3 · 09-27-2007, 08:26 PM

Nonskimmer · 09-27-2007, 10:44 PM

Thanks, Antonin.

FLYBOYJ · 09-27-2007, 11:17 PM

Pisis · 09-28-2007, 05:55 PM

Thanks, Eric.

Yes, they rather throw out billions for Gripens than giving 1/1000th of it to make these people enjoying their last moments. I feel really ashamed for this.

As one person I know says: "Country that doesn't value its heros is endagered by not having any when there is a desperate need..."

09-25-2007, 11:37 AM	#1
evangilder "Shooter" Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA Posts: 14,779	WWII war hero, RAF pilot Antonin Spacek dies at 89 WWII war hero, RAF pilot Antonin Spacek dies at 89 [04-04-2007] By Daniela Lazarova Born in 1917 in the town of Hradcany Antonin Spacek grew up dreaming of becoming a professional soldier. He was a lieutenant in the Czechoslovak army when the war broke out and he left his homeland via the so called Balkan route going through Hungary, Yugoslavia and the Middle East to join the free Czechoslovak units in France. He fought in France and later served in Britain's RAF, returning to Normandy on D-Day with an armored Czechoslovak brigade. Military historian Eduard Stehlik says that Spacek was a soldier his country should have been proud of: "Antonin Spacek was a man who always thought of others first. Before he left the country he was active in the Resistance and undertook several very dangerous missions in Slovakia. And when he fought abroad he created a home base for other Czechs and Slovaks who served with the allies. He was a truly courageous person." While in Britain and France Antonin Spacek was a respected war hero he received no recognition at home. In 1948 the communists took power in his homeland and the role of Czech pilots who served in the RAF was played down - because they had fought in the West. Spacek attempted to flee the country with his family in order to avoid communist persecution but only his British-born wife and child managed to get out. Antonin Spacek was sentenced to ten years in a show trial and was sent to work in the country's uranium mines. More than half a century was to pass before he gained recognition. On the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings he was awarded the Legion of Honour by President Jacques Chirac and last year he received the highest Czech state distinction from President Klaus - the Order of the White Lion. However beside the medals there was little else. In an interview for Radio Prague in 2001 he complained bitterly that 56 years after the war society had little interest in giving its heroes a dignified old age. "Most of us are around 80 years of age - I am 86 - and many of us are alone. We need some help in our old age and nobody cares about it, you see? " Although he had reason to complain about the years of persecution and neglect the thought uppermost in Antonin Spacek's mind was to leave a legacy for the young generation. "The thing is how to carry these ideas over to the young generation. The problem is that the teachers don't know about it / our freedom fight/ they were educated during the communist regime. They never heard about what happened. There are many people now who say the last time a Czech soldier fought was at the Battle of the White Mountain, they never fought, they are cowards and so on. And they don't acknowledge us. We were the only army- among the allied group of armies- which was composed of volunteers. The fight against the Nazis was fought here in the Czech lands. We must persuade the young generation to keep in mind that the Czechs are not cowards, that they know how to fight and when to fight for independence and democracy. That is the message we would like to leave after our deaths for the young generation." http://img.radio.cz/pictures/ctk0704/spacek_antonin.jpg http://img.radio.cz/pictures/valka2/spitfires.jpg ************* __________________ http://www.vg-photo.com** For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return. Leonardo Da Vinci

09-25-2007, 11:55 AM	#2
DerAdlerIstGelandet Der Crewchief Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany Posts: 33,011	__________________ fly boy:"isnt that the first jet bomber becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles"[/I]

09-25-2007, 12:28 PM	#3
ccheese Older Than Dirt Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia Posts: 7,210	Charles __________________ I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day. Tomorrow doesn't look good either....

09-25-2007, 02:00 PM	#4
v2 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Cracow Posts: 4,191	__________________ "A good fighter pilot, like a good boxer, should have a knockout punch..... You will find one attack you prefer to all others. Work on it till you can do it to perfection... then use it whenever possible." - Captain Reade Tilley, USAAF 7 Victories, WW-II -

09-25-2007, 06:26 PM	#5
Bf109_g Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 634	__________________

09-26-2007, 06:07 AM	#6
Maestro Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Beaupré, Province of Québec, Canada Posts: 2,359	__________________ Maestro http://www.yantremblay.com/

09-26-2007, 07:45 AM	#7
Soundbreaker Welch? Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 1,893	Poor lonely Vet. __________________ "His motor's conked out!" "What's the differance, they're all Nazis!" "Luke, shut up!" "Fear the hook!" "Oh.....I wanna fly." "You mean the kind that go under water and fly up the stairs?" "What you doing? Oh Nooooo!"

09-26-2007, 09:34 AM	#8
seesul Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Zlin, Czech Republic Posts: 2,467	..."Most of us are around 80 years of age - I am 86 - and many of us are alone. We need some help in our old age and nobody cares about it, you see? " ... Unfortunately he´s absolutely right. Our goverment is not able to value our vets. This is what gets me mad __________________ Roman Susil Zlin, Czech Republic ...a friend of Joe Owsianik,So. Plainfield, NJ, a former left waist gunner from B-17G ''Tail End Charlie" from 2ndBG,20th Sqdn who was forced to bail out on Aug. 29th, 1944 over my country.

09-26-2007, 11:40 AM	#9
Gnomey "World Traveller" Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Royal Deeside/St Andrews, Scotland, UK Posts: 15,080	__________________ "Success is not Final, Failure is not Fatal, it is the Courage to Continue that Counts" Sir Winston Churchill "To him the People of the World Largely owe the Freedom and Liberties they Enjoy Today" Enscription on Hugh Dowding's (AOC Fighter Command 1936-40) statue in London WW2 Talk: A WW2 Discussion Forum My Photo Collections on Flickr

09-26-2007, 04:48 PM	#10
Micdrow “Archive” Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 4,809	__________________ "Valor does not mean Hero."

09-26-2007, 05:34 PM	#11
Marcel Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Dordrecht Posts: 3,809	__________________ " The knack of flying lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss."

09-27-2007, 08:26 PM	#12
CRASHGATE3 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Bomber county UK Posts: 208

09-27-2007, 10:44 PM	#13
Nonskimmer Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 8,871	Thanks, Antonin.

09-27-2007, 11:17 PM	#14
FLYBOYJ IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 15,981	__________________ "IF ITS RED OR DUSTY, DON'T TOUCH IT"

09-28-2007, 05:55 PM	#15
Pisis Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Praga Mater Urbium Posts: 5,859	Thanks, Eric. Yes, they rather throw out billions for Gripens than giving 1/1000th of it to make these people enjoying their last moments. I feel really ashamed for this. As one person I know says: "Country that doesn't value its heros is endagered by not having any when there is a desperate need..." __________________ "He's a menace to himself and everything else in the air... yes, birds too." - Airplane! Memory of Nation Why Did Hitler Want Czechoslovakia WW2 Was A War That Had To Be Fought! What Really Happened in Israel? Children of Hamas

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