An Outstanding & Rare RAF (Czech) “Battle of Britain” Hurricane & Spitfire(Casualty)Fighter Pilot’s group of Five.
with Two Czech’ awards for Gallantry & Bravery To:
82560 Pilot Officer JIRI JOROMIR MACHACEK
Czechoslovakian Air Force
610 & 145 Squadrons, Royal Air Force. KILLED IN ACTION, 8th JULY 1941, Belgium.
[THE BRITISH MEDALS] 1939-45 Star, (Battle of Britain Clasp)
Aircrew Europe Star, & War Medal Trio, (With Original M.O.D. Issue Paperwork & Original Named Boxes)
[THE CZECH MEDALS]
Bravery Medal (Czechoslovakia) “Posthumous” (In Memorium)
Military Cross (Czechoslovakia) “Posthumous” (In Memorium)
Note: The “leaves” emblem on the Bravery Medal is officially an indication of a 2nd award but is often seen on medals awarded to casualties.
[BIOGRAPHY 1915-1941]
Jiri Machacek was born on 28th February 1915 in Sedlcany which is just south of Prague in Czechoslovakia. He was a member of the Czech Air Force when the Germans took over his country in March 1939. He fled the invasion via Poland and joined the French Air Force until the French quit the fight, gave in and surrendered to the Nazis in May 1940. NOTE: *(A situation that almost cost my own father his life. Dad was with 226 Squadron as part of the Advanced Air Striking Force (AASF) at Rheims as a WOP/AG on the clapped out old Fairey Battles and had to run for his life when the French gave up)*
Jiri Machacek then came to England and joined the RAF with a commission granted on 6th August 1940. He initially joined 610 Squadron at RAF Duxford. With no experience on Hurricanes he was then posted on 17th August with a large number of fellow Czechs to 6 OTU at RAF Sutton Bridge where he did a Hurricane conversion course. The course ended on 11th September and he was then posted to 145 Squadron (Hurricanes) at RAF Drem.
[ACTION IN THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN]
In a dog fight over Christchurch Bay at 12:30pm on 15th October 1940 Jiri Machacek shot down an Me109 (but only claimed 1/2 a kill in his combat report).
This victory was in our opinion wrongly attributed to Dundas of 609 Squadron (who’s victim crashed at Bournemouth, 15 miles away).
Jiri Machacek’s kill was certainly E-4 (2379) of 1/JG 2 flown by Gefr. Alois Pollack who some lists show as missing, but he was in fact quickly taken POW and promptly shipped out to Canada.
Pollack’s Me109 crashed into a field occupied by Mr J. Fawcett at Hart's Farm, Everton, Hampshire, which adjoined Everton Nurseries. There was a violent explosion as it hit the ground with its wreckage being spread over an area of 200 yards. The cockpit canopy was picked up in Thorn's Farm, about a mile away.
Alois Pollack landed only some 60 feet away from the blazing wreck, and was quickly and quietly captured.
One of the first to reach the German was Mr E. O. Ling, an ARP Warden of Milford, foreman at the Nurseries, with Messrs H. Woodhouse and S. Kenchington, who were both members of the Everton Home Guard and employed at the Everton nurseries.
During this dog fight, Jiri was then himself Shot Down and badly wounded in the leg. He baled out of Hurricane V7337 over Christchurch and landed by parachute near New Milton just four miles west of his Me109 victim’s crash site at Everton. Jiri was initially hospitalised in Lymington and later transferred to Torquay for further treatment.
He was released, fit for flying in December 1940.
[RESUMED FLYING, 145 SQUADRON, WITH DOUGLAS BADER]
Jiri then resumed flying on Spitfires with “A” Flight of 145 squadron at RAF MERSTON in March of 1941. This unit was under the command of non other than Douglas Bader.
He went on a weeks leave into London on 11th June 1941 but was back flying by 19th with several sorties recorded.
[TWO COMBAT REPORTS]
(21st June 1941)
Jiri claimed another “1/2 kill” of an ME109E, which he clearly shot down over Deal at 12:50pm. He generously included Sqd/Ldr Burton, the C.O. of 616 Squadron as sharing the kill, but it’s pretty clear from the combat report that the enemy aircraft was “a complete gonner” well before Burton shot at it very late in the engagement. The enemy pilot baled out at 3/4000 feet about 5 miles SSW of Canterbury with the aircraft crashing in the same vicinity.The aircraft had a Blue nose, light blue camouflage, square wing tips & black crosses !
(28th June 1941)
Jiri then claimed another “probable” kill when in combat with two enemy aircraft when he badly shot up another ME109E near Cassel in France. He saw “pieces flying off the aircraft and thick black smoke.
[THE FINAL SORTIE]
He was sadly KILLED IN ACTION just Ten Days Later over Belgium at about 14:00hrs on 8th July 1941 while flying Spitfire V R7218 (The presentation aircraft RETFORD) escorting “CIRCUS40” a force of Stirling bombers on a raid to Lille.
He is known to have crashed on fire into the private garden of M. Rene Bonte at De Moeren a small village on the Belgian coast. The owner recovered his dog tag and badly burnt body from the wreckage and arranged for a grave to be dug at the local church in Adinkerke, but sadly the Germans showed up, confiscated & removed the body & dog tag neither of which were ever seen again.
Probably and due to his identity being confirmed as a Czech, his body was dumped without ceremony by the Nazis.
He does however have a formal Belgian death certificate which was produced by the local authorities.
Thus, and sadly, Jiri Machacek has no known grave and is Commemorated with Eternal Honour on Panel 30 of the Runnymead Memorial to the Missing.
“NEVER IN THE FIELD OF HUMAN CONFLICT HAS SO MUCH BEEN OWED BY SO MANY TO SO FEW”
(Winston L.S. Churchill) 1940
[SUMMARY]
The medals awarded to foreign fighter pilot participants who flew in the Battle of Britain are some of the most desirable awards in the entire British aviation arena. This magnificent casualty assembly to Jiri Machacek comes from our own collection.
SOLD
[Special FootNote]
* This is Flying Officer Jiri Machacek’s ONLY genuine medal group,which was not issued until a late claim was made to M.O.D. by his family in 2019. The British medals were then issued by the U.K. government medal office at RAF Insworth, Gloucestershire, and were sent to an authorised U.K. agent by request of the Next of Kin of Jiri Machacek’s family.
We now own the above listed and genuine medal group which comes with the full and original U.K. Government “Ministry of Defence” named & numbered certification document which also contains their officially issued batch number and confirmation of the date of issue. We also have the four original M.O.D. Medal Office boxes of issue complete with their named labels. (*see photos above)
We are aware that some time ago in c, 2012 a totally “faked up and bogus” medal grouping claiming to be belonging to this officer appeared on the market. That spurious assembly which originated from a leading London auction house had no original papers nor any genuine provenance whatever. It was also composed of what were clearly “odd” medals of differing tones & colours which had just been thrown together.
It also contained a “faked up and wrongly inscribed” caterpillar club pin, upon which the bogus assembly was solely based.
That quite obviously incorrect & faked up assembly was then later listed by a Canadian medal business who then sold it onward to someone they have described as “an eminent U.K. collector”
On 4th March 2022, we informed the Canadian company director of the totally bogus nature of that group which they have now removed from their website sold archive . If you are the “eminent” U.K. collector” who apparently purchased that fake group, you might like to call us on 01342-870926 to further discuss and we will attempt to assist you in obtaining a refund.
***This is the THIRD time in 12 months we have identified a faked up RAF Group being sold through the main London auction houses.***
[THE CZECH MEDALS]
Bravery Medal (Czechoslovakia) “Posthumous” (In Memorium)
Military Cross (Czechoslovakia) “Posthumous” (In Memorium)
Note: The “leaves” emblem on the Bravery Medal is officially an indication of a 2nd award but is often seen on medals awarded to casualties.
[BIOGRAPHY 1915-1941]
Jiri Machacek was born on 28th February 1915 in Sedlcany which is just south of Prague in Czechoslovakia. He was a member of the Czech Air Force when the Germans took over his country in March 1939. He fled the invasion via Poland and joined the French Air Force until the French quit the fight, gave in and surrendered to the Nazis in May 1940. NOTE: *(A situation that almost cost my own father his life. Dad was with 226 Squadron as part of the Advanced Air Striking Force (AASF) at Rheims as a WOP/AG on the clapped out old Fairey Battles and had to run for his life when the French gave up)*
Jiri Machacek then came to England and joined the RAF with a commission granted on 6th August 1940. He initially joined 610 Squadron at RAF Duxford. With no experience on Hurricanes he was then posted on 17th August with a large number of fellow Czechs to 6 OTU at RAF Sutton Bridge where he did a Hurricane conversion course. The course ended on 11th September and he was then posted to 145 Squadron (Hurricanes) at RAF Drem.
[ACTION IN THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN]
In a dog fight over Christchurch Bay at 12:30pm on 15th October 1940 Jiri Machacek shot down an Me109 (but only claimed 1/2 a kill in his combat report).
This victory was in our opinion wrongly attributed to Dundas of 609 Squadron (who’s victim crashed at Bournemouth, 15 miles away).
Jiri Machacek’s kill was certainly E-4 (2379) of 1/JG 2 flown by Gefr. Alois Pollack who some lists show as missing, but he was in fact quickly taken POW and promptly shipped out to Canada.
Pollack’s Me109 crashed into a field occupied by Mr J. Fawcett at Hart's Farm, Everton, Hampshire, which adjoined Everton Nurseries. There was a violent explosion as it hit the ground with its wreckage being spread over an area of 200 yards. The cockpit canopy was picked up in Thorn's Farm, about a mile away.
Alois Pollack landed only some 60 feet away from the blazing wreck, and was quickly and quietly captured.
One of the first to reach the German was Mr E. O. Ling, an ARP Warden of Milford, foreman at the Nurseries, with Messrs H. Woodhouse and S. Kenchington, who were both members of the Everton Home Guard and employed at the Everton nurseries.
During this dog fight, Jiri was then himself Shot Down and badly wounded in the leg. He baled out of Hurricane V7337 over Christchurch and landed by parachute near New Milton just four miles west of his Me109 victim’s crash site at Everton. Jiri was initially hospitalised in Lymington and later transferred to Torquay for further treatment.
He was released, fit for flying in December 1940.
[RESUMED FLYING, 145 SQUADRON, WITH DOUGLAS BADER]
Jiri then resumed flying on Spitfires with “A” Flight of 145 squadron at RAF MERSTON in March of 1941. This unit was under the command of non other than Douglas Bader.
He went on a weeks leave into London on 11th June 1941 but was back flying by 19th with several sorties recorded.
[TWO COMBAT REPORTS]
(21st June 1941)
Jiri claimed another “1/2 kill” of an ME109E, which he clearly shot down over Deal at 12:50pm. He generously included Sqd/Ldr Burton, the C.O. of 616 Squadron as sharing the kill, but it’s pretty clear from the combat report that the enemy aircraft was “a complete gonner” well before Burton shot at it very late in the engagement. The enemy pilot baled out at 3/4000 feet about 5 miles SSW of Canterbury with the aircraft crashing in the same vicinity.The aircraft had a Blue nose, light blue camouflage, square wing tips & black crosses !
(28th June 1941)
Jiri then claimed another “probable” kill when in combat with two enemy aircraft when he badly shot up another ME109E near Cassel in France. He saw “pieces flying off the aircraft and thick black smoke.
[THE FINAL SORTIE]
He was sadly KILLED IN ACTION just Ten Days Later over Belgium at about 14:00hrs on 8th July 1941 while flying Spitfire V R7218 (The presentation aircraft RETFORD) escorting “CIRCUS40” a force of Stirling bombers on a raid to Lille.
He is known to have crashed on fire into the private garden of M. Rene Bonte at De Moeren a small village on the Belgian coast. The owner recovered his dog tag and badly burnt body from the wreckage and arranged for a grave to be dug at the local church in Adinkerke, but sadly the Germans showed up, confiscated & removed the body & dog tag neither of which were ever seen again.
Probably and due to his identity being confirmed as a Czech, his body was dumped without ceremony by the Nazis.
He does however have a formal Belgian death certificate which was produced by the local authorities.
Thus, and sadly, Jiri Machacek has no known grave and is Commemorated with Eternal Honour on Panel 30 of the Runnymead Memorial to the Missing.
“NEVER IN THE FIELD OF HUMAN CONFLICT HAS SO MUCH BEEN OWED BY SO MANY TO SO FEW”
(Winston L.S. Churchill) 1940
[SUMMARY]
The medals awarded to foreign fighter pilot participants who flew in the Battle of Britain are some of the most desirable awards in the entire British aviation arena. This magnificent casualty assembly to Jiri Machacek comes from our own collection.
SOLD
[Special FootNote]
* This is Flying Officer Jiri Machacek’s ONLY genuine medal group,which was not issued until a late claim was made to M.O.D. by his family in 2019. The British medals were then issued by the U.K. government medal office at RAF Insworth, Gloucestershire, and were sent to an authorised U.K. agent by request of the Next of Kin of Jiri Machacek’s family.
We now own the above listed and genuine medal group which comes with the full and original U.K. Government “Ministry of Defence” named & numbered certification document which also contains their officially issued batch number and confirmation of the date of issue. We also have the four original M.O.D. Medal Office boxes of issue complete with their named labels. (*see photos above)
We are aware that some time ago in c, 2012 a totally “faked up and bogus” medal grouping claiming to be belonging to this officer appeared on the market. That spurious assembly which originated from a leading London auction house had no original papers nor any genuine provenance whatever. It was also composed of what were clearly “odd” medals of differing tones & colours which had just been thrown together.
It also contained a “faked up and wrongly inscribed” caterpillar club pin, upon which the bogus assembly was solely based.
That quite obviously incorrect & faked up assembly was then later listed by a Canadian medal business who then sold it onward to someone they have described as “an eminent U.K. collector”
On 4th March 2022, we informed the Canadian company director of the totally bogus nature of that group which they have now removed from their website sold archive . If you are the “eminent” U.K. collector” who apparently purchased that fake group, you might like to call us on 01342-870926 to further discuss and we will attempt to assist you in obtaining a refund.
***This is the THIRD time in 12 months we have identified a faked up RAF Group being sold through the main London auction houses.***