Jan at the centre column of IL-14

Leaving the cockpit for the last time. The glorious air career of captain Irving has come to close in 1977.

The last time under the nose cone of "his" IL-14

Formal photograph of Jan Irving and his wife Blanka who was a VIP guest at this event. Jan left the cockpit and his glorious pilot career came to an end in 1977.

Festive last day in the Czechoslovak Airlines and getting pensioned - the end of one epoch in civilian flying as well as in the life of one airman who just belonged and who was devoted to his job for all his life.

Festive last day in the Czechoslovak Airlines and getting pensioned - the end of one epoch in civilian flying as well as in the life of one airman who just belonged and who was devoted to his job for all his life.

The Czechoslovak ex-RAF airmen tried to ignore the surveillance. They continued socialising and whenever there was a reason for a party or a celebration, they cared a damn about the whole secret police machinery and "accompaniment" at every event. Mrs. and Mr. Irving are having a great time at the famed restaurant Na Zvonařce despite being closely watched.

Iveta's photograph from one of those semi-illegal reunions of the RAF airmen from the whole country which were organised during the second half of the 1980's. These reunions were organised under the auspices of the Socialist Youth Union in Kolín. The main organiser was JUDr. Jiří Sehnal. His mother is on the right from Jan Irving, at far left, Alois Konopický. (Iveta could not remember the name of the lady in the white sweater after all those years.) Everyone was looking forward to these yearly reunions. The secret police was was busy with that many irons in the fire and they couldn't manage to note down everything about the groups moving from the railway station or arriving in cars from all over Czechoslovakia. The cops drove in their Lada and Skoda cars to and fro and even the reinforcements did not help. It was certainly a sight to see when tens of people with tricolour ribbons on their lapels showed. The airmen and their families were aware of this and they indulged in the Schadenfreude. (Iveta, a stubborn teenager, would bravely stick her tongue out at them when they appeared.) When everyone met in the hall of the Cultural Centre, they had a lunch and then there were debates, stories told and Iveta started making notes about specific stories for her book about Ant the dog which she had already started writing. In 1989, with the help of Jan Irving and a few others, they started fundraising and organising for a reunion for the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Britain in the United Kingdom. It was in fact illegal for the Czechoslovaks so it appeared to be just vain dreaming even though the British side was involved as well as the Union of Czechoslovak Foreign Airmen with their headquarters in London and several other organisations.

Change was in the air and everyone felt that the totalitarian regime is about to collapse. A piece of proof was the first legal debate with our airmen [who served in the Western countries] in September 1989. It was organised by ROH [Revolutionary Union Movement, the trade unions with an exalted name] which happened in the Dlabačov hotel (after the Revolution, it was renamed Hotel Pyramida), although the meeting happened only in th small meeting room, just in case. The room was stuffed to the brim, though. Iveta took a bit of risk and she took this rare photograph. From the left: Jindřich Polák (director of the film Nebeští jezdci [Riders in the Sky]) and next to him the future three generals of the Riders if the Sky – Jan Irving, Alois Šiška and František Fajtl.

A rare photograph granted by the President's office after the President, Václav Havel, and Minister of Defense Luděk Dobrovský promoted major Jan Irving to the rank of colonel in 1990.

When Ivana took this photograph of church and graveyard in East Wreathan, she already knew it from the stories told by her father and his friends, and from old photographs. Now, she saw it in person for the first time. By this time, she knew enough about aerial warfare so she understood why her dad and other bombers from the 311th squad started to cry and so did she and her mother.

By this time, Ivana knew enough about aerial warfare so she understood why her dad and other bombers from the 311th squad started to cry and so did she and her mother. She immediately recalled one photograph from 1942. At that time, her father served in Wretham and accompanied those friends who did not return alive from combats with enemy on their last journey. Jan Irving, fourth from right in the front row, carrying one of the coffins.

Another of Iveta's photographs of all the Czechoslovak airmen from the Czechoslovak Socialistic Republuc at the same place. Her father is the 12th from the left, in a white shirt, with a tie moved to side by a slight wind. It was awfully hot and many airmen put the army manners aside preferring their own health.

And here we have another photograph from the memorial book shows the memorial service at the graves of the Czechoslovak airmen. The quality of the photograph shot on foreign-made film is apparent at the first sight compared with Ivana’s shots. Well, this was Kodak and at that time, the Czechoslovaks were happy if they managed to get, through friends of friends, the East German, socialist, Orwo brand. Even in this year, in 1990. Iveta is well visible on the photograph, with her back towards the viewer, dressed in white.

Another photograph from the memorial book, this time taken in the man hall of the villa in West Lane where the Czechoslovak National House was. Shown are Jan Irving and his friend and co-fighter from the 311th who lived in the Moravian town of Napajedla, colonel Stanislav Mikula. Behind them, engaged in a vively discussion, Mrs. Ljuba Knapová, wife of František Knap from the 311th Squadron and facing her, Blanka Irvingová.

Another very emotional event, a festive Mass for the airmen in the RAF church in London. For air fans of the whole world, let us say that each marble tile shows the emblem of an RAF squadron, from the whole world. The whole floor is covered with them even though some are obscured by the church pews which stand there. The flag bearer is Alois Konopický, armourer of the 311th squadron.

Colonel Irving was awarded the National Order of Merit [Ordre national du Mérite], in the grade of Knight, by the French military attaché, in May 1995 in the Legie Hotel in Prague. Colonel suffered from ill health, having been through two major surgeries including a heart bypass. The wounds caused by surgical incisions on his chest were healing badly and caused major pains so his caring wife Blanka had to support him.

Colonel Irving was awarded the National Order of Merit [Ordre national du Mérite], in the grade of Knight, by the French military attaché, in May 1995 in the Legie Hotel in Prague. This was a great occasion to toast with champagne. Jan Horal, owner of Duo hotel paid for the wine and serving staff. He never forgot the effort and personal risk of Jan Irving who regularly removed heaps of secret police‘s surveillance equipment from his room in the Alcron hotel. (Jan Horal and Jan Irving feature in the documentary by V. Venclík, filmed in 1997 as Report on two Destinies. Those two demonstrate the differences of freedom in emigration and persecution in totalitarian regime. The document should be available from the archive of the Czech Television.)

A close-up of the beautiful blue order on the uniform.

The last formal photograph of Jan Irving taken shortly after he was promoted to the rank of general in May 1995.

Jan Horal threw another memorable party for his friend, this time in the restaurant in his hotel at Prosek. Many esteemed guests and politicians met there. The photograph shows general Irving in a lively debate with then the Minister of Finances (and future President of Czech Republic), Ing. Václav Klaus.

One of the earliest debates in the Palace of Culture at Pankrác in Prague, (today's Congress Centre). The public debates repeated every month for about a year and half and the themes changed. This photograph was taken on the 16th of September 1990 and this evening was dedicated to the No. 311 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF. Sitting, from the left: Arnošt Polák (wireless operator from Jan's crew who had lived in Britain since 1948), with the microphone, Vladimír Nedvěd (one of the commanders of the No. 311 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF in 1943 - 1944, after having emigrated in 1948, he lived in Australia), Alois Martinovský (repairman, No. 311 squadron), the hosts of the debate, Zdeněk Tulis and Tomáš Sláma, Vladimír Slánský (pilot and wireless operator, No. 311 squadron), jan Irving, and Alois Konopický (armourer, No. 311 squadron). Not all airmen had their uniforms so until about half of 1991, they wore dark blue blazers and light gray trousers to such public events instead.

After every such event, bigger or smaller, usually, a book signing followed. The airmen signed all sorts of books which were published after the Revolution or which people kept in their bookshelves for decades. There is over 1000 seats in the Congress Hall and these evenings were packed during those “evenings with arimen, people who were looking forward to hearing their stories were sitting on the floor or standing pressed against the walls so there was well over fifteen hundred persons. Each such book signing was very demanding for the airmen, as it was for those who accompanied them. Iveta often acted as a bodyguard for her dad and she would slow down or stop the endless crowds of enthusiasts with books because she saw how demanding it was for her father. He never complained, though, he was nice with everyone, he kept on signing but at the moment when the Irving family along with the others left the building and went to the metro station, he was close to collapsing.

An official visit of Prince and Princess of Wales to Czechoslovakia in 1991. There was a large memorial assembly with participation of the invited airmen and their companions at the army section of the Olšany graveyards, in a plot dedicated to the fallen RAF airmen.

“No wonder that Iveta’s hands shook when she took the photograph of the angelic being which was shaking hands with her father standing next to her. And when she shook hands with Iveta, she was left speechless. Years later, she says this about the encounter. “I just started trembling, so much that I cursed myself. When she shook my hand and I looked in her eyes, my knees gave way and I made a deep bow although I had not planned that. It was as if Virgin Mary herself shook my hand, and I saw her all blurred through the tears in my eyes. The Princess emanated immense kindness and care and as she was much taller than I am – which is well visible on the photograph – there was an air of authority as well. Those who did not have this sort of experience cannot understand it. Her travails after her divorce with the Prince of Wales hurt us all and her death totally depressed us. I cried for several days. I watched the funeral live on TV in Úherce where I was staying with my mom, recovering from my divorce. Only then I understood how such a sensitive person must have felt after her divorce. Compared to her, I was much more outspoken and I did not get many things related to the divorce to get to my skin...”