The main memorial at the exit of the Harry Tunnel at the edge of a wood which covered the airmen when they escaped. This is where very emotional and breathtaking memorial ceremonies take place, with the participants of the original events and their family members, as well as military attachés from various countries. It is probably only the celebrations in Normandy which is able to attract so many different diplomatic staff and in greater numbers.

Sagan - the arrival of the guard of honour of RAF during the main memorial ceremony

Iveta Irvingová and a part of the Czech delegation, a group which represented family members of deceased airmen. There were other groups with military attachés from Czech Republic and Slovakia, ambassadors, historians, members of the clubs of military history and others.

Memorial ceremony in Sagan. From the left, Karel Bryks, representing colonel Josef Briks, a tough boy with a sensitive soul who would escape from many a war prison camp, whose health was ruined by the Communist regime and forced labour in the Jáchymov uranium mines. WHat was the last straw that broke his heart was a ban on corresponding with his beloved English wife. Iveta Irvingová is representing V. Bufka and Václav Toman, the head of the Jan R. Irving Airforce History Club in Plzeň. He chose to join the party when Ivanka Škarvadová politely chose not to go to the strong rain and cold weather and remained in the VIP tent.

The memorial spot of the Great Escape - the memorial after the end of the remembrance ceremony.

On the outskirts of a small Polish town of Żagań (Sagan), there is a military cemetery divided into several sections, such as one dedicated to the fallen in the WWI and soldiers of all nations who died during those times.

Sagan - The delegation consisted of members from all over the Czech Republic. Their main interest was this place with gravestones and the remains of the fifty executed airmen. They were most touched by Arnie or sergeant Arnošt Valenta from the 311th Czechoslovak squadron. (Iveta was deeply moved and reminded of the lyrics of a Taxmen song, 'Bad place to land'.)

Sagan - after having lit a candle for each member of the delegation and having laid the bouquet, this photograph was taken. At the left, the family members of the deceased imprisoned airmen, Iveta Irvingová, Josef Bryks a Mgr. Ivana Škarvadová. On the right, historian and an expert on the Sagan events and the POW camp system, Vladislav Severin, who also researches the Czechoslovak paratrooper groups operating in the eastern part of Czech Republic. Next to him (middle of the photograph), standing, lieutenant colonel Ing. Jan Čelechovský, a former army pilot and one of the designated drivers of the group and next to him to the right, nephew of two RAF airmen (Vít Angetter and Albín Naswetter), Radovan Stýblo. The others humbly stood aside.

Sagan - a beautiful bouquet laid in the name of the Airmen's Union of Czech Republic and the Jan R. Irving Airforce History Club in Plzeň.

Wedding photograph of Vilém and Blanka Bufek. 1961

And this photograph is from Vilda's funera at the end of November in 1967. At both sides of the casket, his friends and fellow warriors stand guard. Right front, J. Plzák, Jan Irving stands hust behind him.

The youngest daughter, Iveta

The youngest daughter, Iveta

Iveta's parents noted that from a tender age, their child could be a bit different from the others when it comes to respect towards uniforms and interest in flying high.

Iveta's parents noted that from a tender age, their child could be a bit different from the others when it comes to respect towards uniforms and interest in flying high.

Here, Iveta's heritage shows in full - as a part convoy of jeeps which followed the demarcation line, with a colleague from the U. S. army who sat all the way long behind her and with the U. S. flag, they were the last in the convoy. Stříbro, 2003

Iveta at one of air shows, by her dad's beloved Dakota

Iveta with other airplane enthusiasts at the airport in Hradec Králové a few years later

When we compare Jan Irving's speech, radical for the time, at the national meeting of the Airmen's Union in 1968 and Iveta's emotional speech at the memorial event of the 90th anniversary of the Protectorate Bohemia and Moravia, one just has to admit that in this case, the similarities are no accident.

When we compare Jan Irving's speech, radical for the time, at the national meeting of the Airmen's Union in 1968 and Iveta's emotional speech at the memorial event of the 90th anniversary of the Protectorate Bohemia and Moravia, one just has to admit that in this case, the similarities are no accident.

A cute snapshot - just before departure

Here, captain Irving is peeking out of the cockpit of "his" IL - 14. 1974

Košice Airport. From the left: captain Irving, captain Čada, a "native", and hiss first officer Jiří Zouhar. August 1976

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these airmen. The passengers nor the cargo would wait. Here is a snapshot from a night landing and cold oozes from the photograph.

Kpt. Irving (uprostřed) pro změnu s kolegy na jiném letišti - už za svého života se stal legendou a toho si byli dobře vědomi i dopravní piloti i další personál všech československých letišť. Kam zavítal, tam byl vítán. (Pozn.: Je doloženo a letci z dopravních linek vzpomínáno na desítky případů, kdy pro hustou mlhu, sníh či podobné „sibérie“ nikdo nelétal a letiště byla dokonce uzavřena. Jan na to však nehleděl – měl-li příkaz k odletu, prostě letěl. Zejména Slováci si prý potrpěli na sázky, takže pokud se objevila v neproniknutelné mlze přistávací světla mašiny, okamžitě se sázeli, že „… ten blázen, co se v tom ,nicnevidím‘ bude snažit přistát, je zaručeně Irving!“ A také tomu tak bylo, čímž mnohokrát pomohl vyhrát zpravidla láhev whisky, kterou pak společně vypili, pokud se na tom či onom letišti přespávalo. Nejoblíbenější byl v tomto směru Hotel Slovan v Košicích. Obdobnou příhodu zmiňuje navíc již zde na jiném místě citovaná kniha J. Zachardy Světla a stíny leteckého povolání).