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Tribute for eighteen members of the 311th Czechoslovak Bomber Squadron in Tain

On 2nd November 2020 the Tain British Legion paid a tribute for eighteen members of the 311th Czechoslovak Bomber Squadron who died in carrying out the tasks of the Coastal Command, at the local church of St Duthus in Tain, in a far northeast of Scotland. Representatives of the British Legion laid wreaths sent by the Embassies of the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic and organizations commemorating Czechoslovak World War II veterans.

After „D Day“ and the clearing of Germans from the French ports, the 311 Squadron (Czechoslovak Bomber Sqn) was transferred to the RAF Station Tain to operate against the German U-boats in the North Sea, patrolling the area from Iceland to the Norwegian fjords and the Baltic Sea. During the Squadron´s assignment to Coastal Command, it completed 2,101 operational flights for a total of 21,527 hours and was credited with destroying four enemy anti-aircraft units and three probable, and it attacked 35 U-boats and 4 surface vessels. Out of a total of 511 Czechoslovak airmen who lost their lives in World War II, 273 were lost by the 311th Czechoslovak Squadron. Of those, 122 were in Bomber Command, 126 were in Coastal Command, and 25 in operational training. Of the 51 airmen taken prisoner, 34 were from the 311th Squadron. Toward the end of April 1945 the 311 Squadron was flying from Tain against U-boats trying to escape from Germany with Nazi leaders to South America.

On behalf of the Czech Embassy in London many thanks to Ron Ferguson, President of the Tain British Legion, for preserving the memory of the fallen 311th Squadron, as well as Mr and Mrs Billy Grant, who always keep the graves so neat and tidy.

Tribute for eighteen members of the 311th Czechoslovak Bomber Squadron in Tain

Tribute for eighteen members of the 311th Czechoslovak Bomber Squadron in Tain

Tribute for eighteen members of the 311th Czechoslovak Bomber Squadron in Tain

Tribute for eighteen members of the 311th Czechoslovak Bomber Squadron in Tain