The Czechoslovak airmen marching in the parade

The banner bearer is Viktor Kropš, armourer of the No 311 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF. His life would be worth a book as well, especially its dramatic turns after 1948. His squadron was transferred to the Plzeň – Bory air base in 1946. During a military parade held in Plzen in 1945, Viktor met his future wife Jiřina. After the February 1948 Communist coup, they tried to escape the country with the help of a guide but on their way across the Domažlice forests, they were arrested by the border guard. Both Viktor and Jiřina threw themselves at the guardsmen, a fight ensued and Victor even wanted to use his handgun but they were overpowered. Jiřina was sentenced to one year in women's prison and Viktor was held in a long custody, subjected to cruel interrogations and he ended up in the labour camp in the uranium mines of Jáchymov, which permanently damaged his health. Jan helped this family in the hardest times as much as he could and the friendship hardened to almost family bond. Viktor died from the health issues caused by imprisonment only a few years after his release and Jan was asked to lead his daughter Šárka to the altar as a substitute father and Jiřina was like a second mother to Iveta until her death in 2014.

The banner bearer is Viktor Kropš, armourer of the No 311 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF. His life would be worth a book as well, especially its dramatic turns after 1948. His squadron was transferred to the Plzeň – Bory air base in 1946. During a military parade held in Plzen in 1945, Viktor met his future wife Jiřina. After the February 1948 Communist coup, they tried to escape the country with the help of a guide but on their way across the Domažlice forests, they were arrested by the border guard. Both Viktor and Jiřina threw themselves at the guardsmen, a fight ensued and Victor even wanted to use his handgun but they were overpowered. Jiřina was sentenced to one year in women's prison and Viktor was held in a long custody, subjected to cruel interrogations and he ended up in the labour camp in the uranium mines of Jáchymov, which permanently damaged his health. Jan helped this family in the hardest times as much as he could and the friendship hardened to almost family bond. When Viktor died only a few years after his release from the health issues caused by imprisonment, Jak was asked to lead his daughter Šárka to the altar as a sort of second father and Jiřina was a second mother to Iveta until her death in 2014.

Chance meeting with colleagues in the downtown of Prague. Jan is wearing civilian clothes

The ruins of the Old Town City hall and its heart, the astronomical clock, deeply saddened Jan

Boxer Joe Baksi and his girlfriend after their arrival to Prague in 1946, with captain Irving and the second pilot after they got off the Dakota aircraft

Jan (standing, on the left) loved the majestic and allegedly easy to fly DC-3 Dakotas

Josef Klouček (in the front) REgional Chief Sokol in Rakovník

Josef Klouček, the father of the witness (man on the far left) at the arrival of the boys at the Sokol summer camp, which he organized and led

Photo of her husband, Jaromír Fuchs, from Secret Police files

Věra Nývltová studio Post Bellum HK 24. 5. 2019

Tatínek Václav Vachek

Maminka Zdeňka Vachková

Poslední společné foto - rodina Vachkova

Zdeněk Bajgar / Zlín / October 2018

Zdeněk Bajgar / Zlín / October 2018

Zdeněk Bajgar / approximately 1940

Iveta and a jeep on a town square. 2014

Jan Irving with his children, Adriana and Jan, from his first marriage. 1966 or 1967

The last family reunion in full strength during a feast in 1975 in Úherce; Grandma Honalová was still alive. From top left: grandmaHonalová, under her, a dark-haired lady, her niece Marie Niedermaierová of Lisov, under her, her daughter and my aunt, Jana Mestlová, with both daughters – older Jana and younger Hana (and I am standing between them). On the right, there is Adriana, under her, Jenda, mom, and dad on far right.

Iveta's step-siblings from her father's first marriage

And this is in Prague - Iveta's birthday, probably the fifth.

"Úherce at the most beautiful time of my childhood when dad tried to rebuild and repair our house and finish the work in the yard and in the cottage at the lower end. My mother loved her gladioli she grew in the garden. At the back of teh garden, there is an iron slide and a giant swing dad had made, along with smaller attractions, for his first two children. Subsequently, three generations of children, nowadays already elderly, because there was no playground in the village and everyone used to meet in our place until I grew up. Even when I was twenty-five, I used to swing on the large swing until mom decided that it needs to be taken down because it was falling apart and someone could get killed."

Úherce at the most beautiful time of my childhood when dad tried to rebuild and repair our house and finish the work in the yard and in the cottage at the lower end. My mother loved her gladioli she grew in the garden. At the back of teh garden, there is an iron slide and a giant swing dad had made, along with smaller attractions, for his first two children. Subsequently, three generations of children, nowadays already elderly, because there was no playground in the village and everyone used to meet in our place until I grew up. Even when I was twenty-five, I used to swing on the large swing until mom decided that it needs to be taken down because it was falling apart and someone could get killed.

Iveta at about six years old.