F/Lt CUKR Vaclav

Official No.: 787 625 (107 245) Date and place of birth: 16th October 1913, Prague Date and place of death: 14th October 1989, New Zealand

War Service

Unit	Since	To	Rank
310	06.08.1940	17.08.1940	Sgt
No. 6 OTU	17.08.1940	10.09.1940	Sgt
43	10.09.1940	28.09.1940	Sgt
253	28.09.1940	07.03.1941	Sgt - W/O
No. 52 OTU	13.05.1941	31.12.1942	P/O
No. 20 MU	01.01.1943	04.07.1943	F/O

He came to No. 310 Czechoslovak Fighter Squadron in Duxford as a Sgt on 6th August 1940. There he was assigned into squadron's reserve by reason of many pilots and because he hadn't conversion course for Hurricane yet. Retraining on Hurricane he started on 17th August 1940 at 6 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge. After retraining he was posted on 10th September 1940 to No. 43 Squadron "China-British" to Usworth. There he was on 23th September shot down and he made crash landing at Biggin Hill with light injuries. After that he moved to No. 253 Squadron "Hyderabat" to Kenley on 28th September. On 7th March 1941 he left operational duty due to problems with wounds which he suffered during fights in France. On 13th May 1941 he started his non-operational service as instructor at No. 52 Operational Training Unit in Debden where he stayed near for two years. On 1st January 1943 he moved to No. 20 Maintenance Unit do Aston Down and became the test pilot. On 4th July 1943 during test flight of Mustnag I AG489 he collided in cloud with Spitfire from No. 52 OTU. He was able to bale out but his plane was flying too low for opening parachute. His fall was litlle braked by trees but he have broken both legs, few ribs, bacpone and suffered many other injuries. He spend the rest of war in hospitals and convalescent centres. In 1946 he obtained the "invalid" statut. He returned back to Czechoslovakia but in 1948 he emigrated for the second time. Then for nine years he organized Intelligence Service against Communists Czechoslovakia. In 1959 he obtained British citizentship and moved to New Zealand. There he lived under name Cooper till his death on 24th October 1989.