The only photograph from the ominous 11th September of 1946, when the Douglas DC-3/C-47A-80-DL (OK, cn 19535, sn 43-15069) of the Czechoslovak Airlines needed to perform an emergency landing at 1746. Captain Irving took off at 1205 from Amsterdam and there were 13 passengers and 5 crew on board. At 1546, the plane flew over the radar at the Praha Ruzyně airport and flew a hold above the clouds at 1700 metres. At 1625, in very inclement weather, the aircraft started to descend. After four unsuccesfull attempts at landing, the aircraft kept flying a hold around the airport. At the same time, a PanAm Lockheed Constellation with full fuel tanks was attempting to land so captain Irving's DC-3 had to keep waiting. The PanAm's Constellation decided to continue to Brussels. The DC-3, after running out of fuel, had to land at a field near Dobrovíz. Captain Irving and the wireless operator Šulc were injured but there were no casualties.

The Irving house with the next-door house that had belonged to a Mrs. Kozáková, which Jan had bought for his parents so that they would not need to squeeze into one room. The gardens then were joined. In the first half of the 1950’s, the secret police forced Jan to sell the house so that it would not be forcibly confiscated without any claim to compensation because he had his own place to live and as a class enemy, he was not allowed to own a property. So, it was bought by the family of a Mr. Čech, whose daughter later married Vlastimil Petržílek and who lived there until her death in 2015. Together, they raised another generation there.

A unique photograph of one of the barracks of the German women’s camp. Jan bought it after the war for the use of the Scout group whose member he had been before the war. Now he was their leader and continued the tradition. These barracks were located on a meadow in front of their house. Nowadays, there are two blocks of flats and two family houses whose construction buried an undeground air-raid shelter which could be entered well into the 1990’s.

Nobody wants to have such a photograph in their album, even less so such a charakter as was Jan Irving! His face says it all. Anger and helplessness filled anyone whom the destructive regime tried to trample and break. Not everyone could endure this evil, though...

Bike ride in the fields. Jan with his firstborn daughter Adriana

On the village square with his son Jan. The difficult times show in dad‘s looks. The listless thin face says it all.

It took a long time before Jan’s eyes started to shine and a gentle smile returned to his face. It was the result of partial rehabilitation in the early 1960’s and consequently, the possibility to return to the love that never betrayed and never left him – to flying, even if only as the first officer as shown on this photograph.

Advising a pretty female traveller. One can see the changes in the airmen’s attire. The dark blue uniforms of the after-war period changed into the light blue colour of summer sky and although Jan has only three bars on the sleeves of his jacket (as a first officer, the captain would wear four)

Blanka Bufková (née Lédlová) when still single and living with her parents where Iveta would live after the death of her grandparents, as a relative on the maternal side, until she moved to Plzen. Blanka, she was a gifted pianist but the times were bad and due to the political and social situation, she had to become a clerk. The photograph was taken in 1953 when she was 20.

Wedding photograph of Blanka and Jan Irving, 30th January, 1970

Jan found a safe harbour of peace and love with his beloved wife. He would take her along to his flights. Here, they are at the Poprad airport in the summer of 1970.

Vilém Bufka on an ID photograph when serving in the RAF during WWII

Sagan - a memorial at the entrance to the tunnel. Mgr. Ivana Škavradová from Ostrava, widow of the general-major Zdeněk Škavrada, a faithful comrade in fight to Jan and then a fellow sufferer of Vilda Bufek when they were captured. No wonder that these tribulations reinforced friendships and the families would often visit each other. (Ivana tries to continue the tradition and "Aunt Ivanka" is always there, although mostly on the phone due to the distances.)

Sagan - detail of the memorial plaque at the entrance to the Tunnel Harry

This place has immense, almost mystical power. Who has ever stood here, got permanent goosebumps on their back. The exact route of the tunnel is marked above on the ground where the barrack no. 104 stood. The granite blocks are inscribed with names of those who tried to escape to freedom. The width of the tunnel is exactly copied so the big guys, such as Vilda Bufek or Zdeněk Škavrada, did not even try to escape. The more they helped their friends on the surface.

Here we see one of the memorial plaques with a list which includes the Czechoslovak airmen. Those who survived are written in blue. Ivo Tonder was one of the three lucky ones who went through an adventurous journey back to Britain and resumed flying. B. Dvořák was not so lucky but he survived. He was caught in the Protectorate, somewhere near Klatovy, and then deported back to the Sagan camp. As a "deserter from Protectorate, he had helluva luck. According to German laws, such army staff was not protected under the Geneva Conventions.

Sagan - another memorial plaque about three metres from the tunnel exit

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.