W/Cdr HANUS Josef

author's collection

Official No.: 82 546 Date and place of birth: 13th September 1911, Dolní Stepanice Date and place of death: 21st April 1992, England

War Service

Unit	Since	To	Rank
310	15.10.1940	18.06.1941	P/O, F/O
32	18.06.1941	18.09.1941	F/O
245	18.09.1941	05.01.1942	F/O
245	21.02.1942	01.04.1942	F/O
600	01.04.1942	14.04.1942	F/Lt
125	14.04.1942	29.04.1942	F/Lt
600	30.04.1942	01.09.1942	F/Lt
68	01.09.1942	10.01.1943	F/Lt
600	10.02.19432	05.12.1943	F/Lt, S/Ldr

After retraining on Hurricane I at No. 6 O.T.U. at Sutton Bridge he was posted on 15th October 1940 to Duxford to No. 310 Czechoslovak fighter Squadron. On 18th June 1941 he was transfered to Angle to No. 32 Squadron where he made just some patrols over convoys and a few night flights on Hurricanes Mk.IIB. After three month, on 18th September, he moved to No. 245 Squadron. There he made day patrols on Hurricanes Mk.IIC and from 5th January to 21st February 1942 he graduated Night Fighter Course on Blenheims at No. 54 O.T.U. at Church Fenton. On 1st April he was promoted to the rank of F/Lt and in the same day he was transfered to No. 600 Squadron. On 1 September 1942 he abandoned No. 600 Squadron and reinforced group of Czechoslovak airmen at No. 68 Night Fighter Squadron but not for a long time. On 10 th January 1943 he with his stable radar operator P/O Ernest D. „Lofty“ Eyles left No. 68 Squadron and both was transfered to the north Africa. (Czechoslovak Inspectorate General couldn’t set Czechoslovak airmen outside Europe, so he have been exception. It had two reasons - first was change for his greater engagement and the second one were his disagreements with the first commander of Czechoslovak group at No. 68 Squadron, S/Ldr Vlastimil Vesely, DFC. After all it have been S/Ldr Vesely who have come with possibility of his transfer to the north Africa.) He and P/O Eyles arrived to liberated Algeria on 2nd February 1943. When they have reached airfield Sétiff, he found out that there have been located his old well-known No. 600 Squadron. He have applyed for allocation just to the No. 600 Squadron and he got affirmative answer. On 11th February he started operational duty again and in night from 18th to 19th February he made first night patrol in Africa. In the night from 16th to 17th March he damaged Dornier Do 217, in the night from 4th to 5th April he shot down one Junkers Ju 88 and in the night from 23rd to 24th April he with his new radar operator P/O F.G Niven shot down another Junkers Ju 88. On 25th May 1943 he was awarded by Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). His last victory he reached in the night from 16th to 17th September when he with his last stable radar operator F/O Harry Finlay shot down again Junkers Ju 88. On 31st October he was promoted to the rank of S/Ldr and he took the command over „A“ flight of No.600 Squadron. In this function he stayed nearly till the end of 1943. On 2nd December he made his last operational flight which was night patrol between towns Gaeta and Garigliano in Italy. On 5th December 1943 he finished his operational duty and he returned to Great Britain where he arrived on 3rd February 1944. During his duty at No. 600 Squadron he made at all 79 operational flights during which he spent in air 222,15 hours. After his arrival he became a Staff Officer at Czechoslovak Inspectorate General (CIG) and he served as the Liaison Officer between CIG and Headquarters of Fighter Command RAF. He returned back to CSR but in July 1948 he emigrated again to England and he returned to the RAF. Since November he served at No. 23 Night Fighter Squadron and then at No. 141 Squadron. Both units were equiped with Mosquitos NF Mk. 30 and NF Mk. 36. Later he served as Air Traffic Controller and Armaments Officer on different bases. In September 1968 he finished his air career and he definitely left the RAF in the rank of S/Ldr. In March 1992, shortly before his death, he was promoted to the Czechoslovak rank of General-Major. He died on 21st April 1992.