english  česky 

Advanced search
na_celou_sirku
Photo: Czech Embassy London
Article notification Print Decrease font size Increase font size

Memorial ceremony at Brookwood

On Sunday 29 October 2017, a commemorative act on the occasion of the Czech National Day was held at the Czechoslovak Monument at the Military Cemetery in Brookwood. The bi-annual ceremony was organised by the Free Czechoslovak Air Force Association along with the Defence Attachées of the Czech and Slovak Embassies to remember the Czechoslovak soldiers and airmen who fought from British territory during WW2 and some of whom are buried at the cemetery.

The event was attended by approximately 100 people, descendants and relatives of war veterans, representatives of both Embassies - the Deputy Czech Ambassador Jan Brunner, the Czech Defence Attaché Col. Jiří Svatoš, Slovak Ambassador H.E. Ĺubomír Rehák and Slovak Defence Attaché Col. Ján Goceliak - representatives of Czech and Slovak associations and all those who wanted to pay tribute to the war heroes who gave their lives for the freedom of their homeland, their nation and the whole of Europe.

Honorable guests also included the Vice-Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Julian Evans, the Mayor of Woking, Cllr. Graham Cundy, Lieutenant Colonel Michael D. Skaggs, the Marine Attaché from the US Embassy, Major Frédéric Simon from the French Air Force, representatives of the British Royal Air Force from Wreatham and Woking and the Polish Airmens Association.

This year, for the first time, children, teachers and parents from the Czech School Without Borders, the Czech School in Berkshire, České Okénko and the Czech and Slovak Community Center in Manchester attended too.

The ceremony was presented by Michael Herman of the Free Czechoslovak Air Force Association (FCAFA). Mr. Brunner and H.E. Rehák gave speeches after which Father Alexander from the Catholic Church in Knaphil gave a short prayer of thanksgiving for the fallen heroes. This was followed by the laying of wreaths and flowers, anthems of the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic and the United Kingdom, and a traditional song "Ach synku synku" by children, teachers and parents from the Czech schools. Afterwards, the children placed electric candles on every single grave. During the refreshment break with foods prepared by the Czech and Slovak Embassies, a lecture was given by Tom Doležal and George Scott on the Czechoslovak soldiers and airmen who were stationed in the UK during WW2, including the specific stories of several of them. At the end of the afternoon, a raffle with themed prizes - books, DVDs, and Spitfire paper models (donated by Mr. Ladislav Hančár of Kovozávody Prostějov) for the children, took place.

The Embassy of the Czech Republic would like to thank the Free Czechoslovak Air Force Association, especially Mrs. Gerry Manolas, and everyone involved in the organisation of the ceremony, the honorable guests and all the visitors who came on Sunday afternoon to honour those to whom we owe so much and whom we shall never forget.