Beginnings in the army - land training first [at the paratroop unit]

Group photo of the students of the Army Flying School in Prostějov, taken on the 15th of July, 1934. Some wil not live until the end of training due to having crashed, some will become flying aces. Shown K. Pošta, M. Jiroudek, M. Gottwald and others. Jan drew an army cap on his head on the photograph with ink pen for fun.

Amateur-built airplane Koželuh [Tanner] which was acquired by the flying school. Here, the airplane was using sign B-12.1

Coloured photograph of Jan wearing an one-piece coverall flying suit

Moving to his first place of service. Jan is leaning out the most out of the train window

The first Chistmas when serving the country

Irving's first workplace in Kbely at the First Air Batallion "T. G. Masaryk" in front of the Aero Apb-32 with Jupiter engine

At the Plzeň airport, with the Letov Š-238 airplane

At the Plzeň airport, with the Letov Š-238 airplane

Aerial photograph of Úherce where Jan lived in his childhood in 1938

Jan as a sergeant pilot

The last known photograph of Jan with his parents before his departure from Czechoslovakia in 1939

Somewhere out there during the escape to the unknown. Judging by Jan Irving's character, one can guess that this moment was caught somewhere around the Czech-Polish border. The uncertainity of the coming days is visibly emanating from this one single preserved photograph.

France in 1940 – Istrès airfield. In the background, by the hangar, there is an MB-210 airplane

In service of the French Air Force. (Jan Irving hated this photograph from the bottom of his heart, though - he thought he looked like a Gestapo officer.)

Portrait photograph for the internation ID valid for Yugoslavia

In the centre of city of Niš - Jan on the right

Studio photograph in civilian clothes taken in a studio in Niš

In the streets of Niš with Josef Vaníček (right). The different style of army uniforms is well visible on this photograph.

Interior of the Orthodox church of Saints Cyril the Philosopher and Methodius in Thessaloniki

Colonel Karel Klapálek

Palestine, around Jericho, 11th Czechoslovak Infantry Battalion – Eastern. Jan is second from the left; at the back, the camp of the Czechoslovak army unit is well visible

Group of soldiers, Jan's comrades in arms, from the 11th Czechoslovak Infantry Battalion – Eastern which Jan photographed as a souvenir. Second from left, at that time still as a private, Jiří Flak

With local people somewhere in Palestine

Inhospitable dry and hot landscape around the army encampment