108 years ago, Colonel and pilot of the 312th Czechoslovak Fighter Squadron of the RAF Ladislav “Larry” Světlík was born in Pilsen.

He was trained as a turner in Škoda factory. After work, he visited the airfield of the West Bohemian Aero Club at Plzeň-Bory Airport. As part of the 1000 New Pilots event, he also underwent pilot training there. In 1936-37, he completed military training at the School for Professional Air Force Youth at VLU in Prostějov. After that, until the occupation, he served in the 38th Fighter Squadron of Aviation Regiment 3 at the airports of Vajnory, Piešt’any and Boleráz.

After the occupation of the Czechoslovakia by the German army he fled to Poland and from there he sailed to France. In Chartres, he retrained on American Curtiss Hawk H-75 fighters and on 2.12.1939 he left with the first group of retrained Czechoslovak pilots for the front. Together with J. Klan and F.Chabera he is assigned to GC II/5. Although he started flying, he did not score his first victory until six days after the start of the German attack on France. In France, Svetlik flew 45.20 operational hours and scored seven kills (4 certain and 3 probable).

Like other Czechoslovak pilots, he sailed via Gibraltar to Great Britain. Here he was accepted into the RAF and on 19 September 1940 was assigned to the newly formed 312th Czechoslovak Fighter Squadron. Although he took part in many war operations with the squadron, such as the Battle of Britain and bomber escorts over the continent, his next and last victory came during the preparations for the Normandy invasion. In the meantime, from August 1942 to January 1943, he served as a fighter pilot with the 38th.

From January 1944, the 312th Squadron, like the other Czechoslovak squadrons, re-equipped itself with new Spitfires Mk.IX and undertook attacks on important targets in Normandy. On 23 March 1944, the 134th Czechoslovak Wing escorted 72 American B-26 Marauder bombers over Haine St. Pierre station in La Louviere. During the turn around to return, several Focke-Wulf Fw 190A’s swoop down on the formation. a fierce dogfight ensues during which Svetlik in his Spitfire IXC MJ931 DU-L chases one German fighter to the ground. The Czech fires all his ammunition into the enemy and the result is in. The German pilot, Lt. Georg Kiefner of 1./JG 26 and winner of 11 aerial dogfights, throws off the cockpit cover and leaves his crippled aircraft on a parachute. He is wounded, but soon returns to duty as commander of 1./JG 26. Svetlik scores his fifth kill and becomes an ace aviator.

After that he briefly takes part in the invasion itself, but on 3.7.1944 his second operational tour ends and he joins the air transport. Between 7.11.1944 and 2.2.1945 he served with the 105th (T) OTU retraining on Wellingtons Mk.X and then until 3.5.1945 he served with the 11th Ferry Unit at Talbenny, flying Wellingtons Mk.X and XIII. He was then posted to 147 Squadron where he flew the famous Dakota Mk.III and IV until August 1945 when he returned to his homeland.

For his outstanding war service he was four times awarded the Czechoslovak War Cross, 4x Czechoslovak Medal For Valour, Czechoslovak Medal For Merit I.st., Commemorative Medal of the Czechoslovak Foreign Army (F-VB), French Croix de Gurre with one gold and two silver stars, British The 1939-45 Star with Battle of Britain Clasp, Air Crew Europe Star and Defence Medal. He shot down 5 aircraft ( one solo and four in cooperation ) and probably shot down three more.

After returning to Czechoslovakia he flew with the Air Transport Group in Prague-Ruzyně. In 1946 he retired to civilian life and joined the CSA as a captain. Here he flew the Siebel Si 204D, Ju 52/3m and mainly Dakotas. However, the purges after February 1948 did not avoid western pilots at CSA. On March 24, 1950, he became a participant in the mass flight of three CSA Dakotas from Brno, Ostrava and Bratislava abroad. All the planes landed at Erding Airport near Munich. Six western airmen and several other people were exiled.

In the UK he rejoined the RAF and first flew Ansons for the Central Navigation Schoul and the 5th Advance Navigation Schoul. He then flew Spitfires, Vampires, Venoms and Meteors at Central Gunnery Schoul in Leconfield. From 1954 he served with the Communication Squadron in Malta where he flew various types of aircraft throughout the Mediterranean. From 1960-62 he then served in the Far East with 52 Supply Dropping Squadron and in Valettes Mk.I he was involved in supplying British troops in Malaya, for which he received the Malay Medal. On his return to England he served as a dispatcher at Colerne Airfield. He retired from the RAF in July 1966 as Commander of RAF Base Theddlethorp. After retirement he settled in Malta and emigrated to New Zealand in 1973.

Ladislav Svetlik died in Warkworth on 27 July 2008.

Lest we forget!

Source and photo: Classic Trainers