Memorial Ceremony in Cholmondeley
16.07.2018 / 19:14 | Aktualizováno: 20.07.2018 / 15:49
On Saturday 14 July 2018, on the occasion of the 78th anniversary of the arrival of the Czechoslovak Voluntary Forces in the United Kingdom, the Association of Czechoslovak Legionaries Abroad organised a commemorative ceremony at the Memorial in Cholmondeley Castle grounds (Cheshire).
The Embassy of the Czech Republic was represented by the Defence Attaché, Colonel Jiří Niedoba, and the Press Secretary, Ms. Jana Čechlovská. The Embassy of Slovakia was represented by Ambassador Ľubomír Rehák and Colonel Ján Goceliak.
After the evacuation from France to the UK in 1940, 3500 Czechoslovak soldiers and airmen were stationed in the grounds of Cholmondeley Castle, they comprised of most of the core of the future Czechoslovak wings of the Royal Air Force and of the 1st Czechoslovak Separate Armoured Brigade. In all, 5623 soldiers passed through Cholmondeley as members of the 1st Czechoslovak Separate Armoured Brigade. These soldiers are mostly remembered for their famous fight in the Siege of Dunkirk (1944-1945) when they defended the town against Nazi forces. In addition to the soldiers, from 1940 to the end of the war in 1945, a total of 2507 Czechs and Slovaks served in five RAF squadrons (310, 311, 312, 313, 68) as well as other British RAF squadrons.
The Marquesses of Cholmondeley is one of the oldest, most respected and most important families in the British Monarchy, and it has been earned that part of Cholmondeley Castle park became a military camp and spiritual home of young Czechoslovak soldiers in 1940. The family allowed and welcomed a memorial in the castle´s park, and continued to cooperate and support the Association of Czechoslovak Legionaries Abroad and help to maintain the memory of Czechoslovak soldiers in Britain and their share in the victory over Nazi Germany.
After attending the ceremony in Cholmondeley, the Czech and Slovak delegations visited the Ightfield Cemetery at the Church of St. John the Baptist to pay tribute in remembrance to the assassins of Heydrich, in particular to Jozef Gabčík and Jan Kubiš who found a new home at the local Ellison family. At the Ellison´s grave, a commemorative plaque was laid in the autumn of 2017 in memory of their friendship.
Representatives of the Czech and Slovak Embassies during the ceremony
Participants of the memorial service in the chapel of the Cholmondeley Castle