Ceremony to remember Czechoslovak paratroopers who lived in Leamington

The 81st anniversary of the deaths of seven paratroopers in a Prague church will be marked by a short wreath laying ceremony at the memorial fountain in Jephson Gardens in Leamington this month.

Taking place on Sunday June 18 at 11am, The Friends of The Czechoslovak Memorial Fountain will be joined by the children and grandchildren of the Czechoslovak veterans who erected the Fountain, the Ambassador of the Czech Republic, the Head of Mission of the Slovak Republic, the Chairman of Warwick District Council and the Mayor of Royal Leamington Spa.

Also in attendance will be pupils from the Czech and Slovak school in Warwick.

The secretary of The Friends of the Czechoslovak Memorial Fountain Georgina Pavel said: “We, family members and friends, warmly invite local residents to follow in the footsteps of the Czechoslovak veterans who gathered every year by the fountain to remember the paratroopers, and other soldiers, pilots and patriots who lost their lives while fighting fascist aggression and to hope for peace and freedom.”

Councillor Sidney Syson, chair of Warwick District Council, added: “I am honoured to be asked to join the Friends and other dignitaries to take part in this annual tradition by laying flowers to pay tribute to the bravery and courage of the Czechoslovak soldiers who lost their lives during The Second World War.”

Erected in 1968 by Czechoslovak veterans and sculpted in the shape of a parachute by designer John French, the memorial fountain honours the brave paratroopers from the Free Czechoslovak Army some of whom made their home in Leamington During the Second World War following the invasion of Czechloslovakia by Nazi Germany.

Of the seven names engraved on the fountain, two of them - Jozef Gabčík and Jan Kubiš participated in ‘Operation Anthropoid’, a daring mission to assassinate Reinhard Heydrich, a German Nazi official for the leading role he played in a brutal regime which led to the mass persecution of the occupied Czech population.

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.