Ceremony to honour fallen Czechoslovak paratroopers who had made their home in Leamington during the Second World War

Leamington residents are invited to attend a short wreath laying ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of the deaths of two brave Czechoslovak paratroopers who had made their home in the town during the Second World War.

Jozef Gabčík and Jan Kubiš carried out the daring Operation Anthropoid mission to assassinate the high-raking German Nazi official Reinhard Heydrich, who was considered the architect of the Holocaust.

The remaining five - Adolf Opálka, Josef Bublík, Josef Valčík, Jaroslav Švarc and Jan Hrubý – were special operations agents caught up in the aftermath of Heydrich’s assassination.

All seven died following a firefight with the SS in a church in Prague on June 18 1942.

The ceremony will take place at the Czechoslovak Memorial Fountain in Jephson Gardens – on which the seven soldiers’ names are engraved - on Sunday (June 19) from 11am.

Members of The Friends of the Czechoslovak Memorial Fountain group will be joined by the ambassadors of the Czech and Slovak embassies and other dignitaries including the chair of Warwick District Council Cllr Mini Mangat.

Erected in 1968 by Czechoslovak veterans, the memorial fountain was designed by John French in tribute to all Czechoslovak soldiers, airmen and patriots who lost their lives in World War II.

The Free Czechoslovak Army made their home in Leamington during the Second World War following the invasion of Czechoslovakia by Nazi Germany.

Sculpted in the shape of a parachute, the fountain honours the brave paratroopers who were based in the town.

Red roses donated from Lidice, one of the Czechoslovak villages raised to the ground as a reprisal by Nazi Germany, have been planted adjacent to the fountain by Warwick District Council’s Green Spaces team.

Georgina Pavel, the secretary of Friends of the Czechoslovak Memorial Fountain, said: “The Czechoslovak veterans, in exile, called the fountain ‘Freedom Fountain’ and I see it as a message to us that ‘freedom is not for free’.

"They were meeting by the fountain every year to remember their friends – paratroopers, and other soldiers, pilots and patriots who lost their lives while fighting fascist aggression.

"We, family members and friends, are following in their footsteps remembering all their sacrifices.

"This year we will be joined by the current Czech veterans who travelled to Leamington from the Czech Republic especially for this important 80th anniversary of Operation Anthropoid.”

Cllr Mangat added: “The Czechoslovak Memorial Fountain has been a presence in Jephson Gardens for over 50 years, and continues to stand as a fitting memorial of the bravery and courage of the Czechoslovak soldiers who lost their lives during World War II.

“I am honoured to join the Friends and other dignitaries on Sunday to lay a wreath and remember them.”

The Friends have arranged for a Spitfire fly past over Jephson Gardens at approximately 11.25am.

And the Glasshouse in Jephson Gardens will be closed for the day for a private ceremony following the wreath laying.