Flight Lieutenant Antonin Velebnovsky was a Czech airman of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died during the Second World War
Velebnovsky was born on 15 April 1915, in Jablunkov, Czechoslovakia. After Nazi Germany's occupation of his country, Velebnovsky escaped to Poland, where he joined a Free Czech squadron. He then fled to France after Poland's fall, serving in the Armee d'lAir's Groupe de Chasse III/10 and Groupe de Chasse I/4.[1] When France, too, succumbed, Velebnovsky headed for Britain to join the RAF.
After completing his preparations with No. 6 Operational Training Unit, Velebnovsky was assigned to the Hawker Hurricane-equipped No. 85 Squadron in October 1940. He transferred to No. 1 Squadron later that month. On 25 May 1941, Velebnovsky damaged a Luftwaffe BF 109 while he was providing an escort for Bristol Blenheims.
Velebnovsky died on 16 July 1941, when his Hawker Hurricane (Z3902) crashed into woodland near Graffham, West Sussex, seemingly the result of an incorrectly set altimeter.[1] He had been engaged in an operation coordinated with searchlight units.
He is buried in Chichester Cemetery..
==Notes
References[]
- The Airmen's Stories - P/O A Velebnovsky, bbm.org.uk. Retrieved 16 october 2012.
- Velebnovsky, Antonin, cwgc.org. Retrieved 16 October 2012.