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Auction: 14003 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 12

A Good 1942 'Evader's' D.F.C. Group of Twelve to Hurricane and Spitfire Pilot, Squadron Leader F. Fajtl, Czechslovakian Air Force and Royal Air Force, Who Shared 2 Destroyed Do. 17's During the Battle of Britain, And Was in Command of 122 Squadron When He Was Shot Down, 5.5.1942, Over Occupied France. He Evaded Capture For Over Three Months Before Successfully Returning to The UK. Fajtl Formed a Czech Squadron Attached to the Russian Air Force, and Flew With Them On the Eastern Front During 1944
a) Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially engraved '1942'
b) 1939-1945 Star, with old copy Battle of Britain Bar
c) Air Crew Europe Star
d) War Medal, M.I.D. Oak Leaf
e) Czechoslovakia, Republic, War Cross 1939, bronze, with four gilt linden sprays on riband
f) Czechoslovakia, Republic, Bravery Medal, bronze, with two gilt linden sprays on riband
g) Czechoslovakia, Republic, Military Merit Medal, First Class, silvered-bronze
h) Czechoslovakia, Republic, Army Commemorative Medal, one clasp, VB, bronze
i) Czechoslovakia, People's Republic, Military Order of the Red Star, breast Badge, 43mm, silvered and enamel
j) Romania, Kingdom, Order of the Crown, 2nd type, Officer's breast Badge, 55mm including crown suspension x 38mm, silver, gold, and enamel, with rosette on riband
k) Russia, Soviet Union, Medal for Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941-45, gilt
l) France, Republic, War Medal 1939-1945, two clasps, France, Liberation, bronze, good very fine, with the following related items:
- Czechoslovakian Air Force No. 1 Uniform, complete with trousers and cap, the latter slightly moth-eaten
- M.I.D. Certificate, 'A/Wing Commander F. Fajtl, D.F.C., Czechoslovak Air Force, dated 14.1.1944
- Three Commissions appointing recipient, Lieutenant, Lieutenant Pilot and Major, dated 26.2.1934, 7.6.1940 and 30.8.1945 respectively
- Two Czechoslovakian Air Force Flying Log Books (28.8.1934-21.8.1938 and 21.8.1938-4.3.1939), with a bound photo-copy of recipient's French flying Log Book (14.10.1939-19.6.1940)
- A number of photographic images, mostly with annotations in pencil, and other ephemera (lot)

D.F.C. Approved 1942. 82544 Acting Squadron Leader Frantisek Fajtl, Czechoslovak Air Force, 122 Squadron, Fighter Command, the Recommendation states, 'Squadron Leader Fajtl throughout the period in which he operated from Hornchurch Sector showed unfailing resolution, dash and determination in the face of the enemy, first as a Flight Commander and then as Squadron Commander. In all he has flown 191 hours of offensive patrols and has destroyed one enemy aircraft, shared in the destruction of three others and a damaged a fifth.

It is recommended that his services be rewarded by the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross.'

The following additional recommendation gives the following, 'This officer was in command of a fighter squadron escorting a bomber force in a daylight raid over Lille, on the 5th May 1942, when after destroying two Me. 109'S, his aircraft was damaged and he crash-landed in Northern France.

Leaving his parachute near the airplane, he ran a short distance in one direction, dropping his gloves on the ground, and then re-tracing his steps, ran in the opposite direction. In this way he mislead the enemy as to the direction of his escape. He later hid in a ditch within a stone's throw of enemy headquarters until nightfall, when, despite a thorough search during which patrols stood within ten yards of him, he commenced his journey southwards by using the flashes from the torches of the search parties as a guide. He finally got clear by crawling five hundred yards to pass between two sentries.

Although by now a hue and cry had been raised, he succeeded in obtaining a disguise and eventually reached Paris.

Boldly enlisting a most unusual source of help, he proceeded on his journey, finally arriving in Unoccupied France in a hungry, exhausted and feverish condition. Without faltering however, he continued on his way, ultimately crossing the Pyrenees into Spain, whence he was repatriated to this country on the 21st of August 1942.

Throughout the whole of his evasion, Squadron Leader Fajtl showed the greatest resource and determination.'

Squadron Leader Frantisek Fajtl, D.F.C., born Donin, Czechoslovakia, 1912. He was educated at the Business Secondary School, Teplice, before initial service in the Army. Fajtl attended the Military Academy at Hranice na Moravie in 1933. He commenced flying training the following year. After graduation, in 1935, Fajtl was posted as a Lieutenant-Pilot to Air Regiment 2, 63rd Reconnaissance Flight. In 1938 the unit received Tupolev SB 2s (high speed bombers). Fajtl escaped to France (via Poland) after the German invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1939. He was seconded to l'Armée de l'Air, and received fighter training at the Centre d'Instruction de Chasse Chartres. Fajtl was posted to the Escadrille Légère de Defence Chartres, 18.5.1940. He served in III/7 and III/9 Groupes de Chasse until the fall of France.

Battle of Britain
Fajtl escaped to the UK, via North Africa, and was commissioned into the R.A.F. in August 1940. Initially posted to 310 (Czech) Squadron, he carried out further training at No. 6 O.T.U., before settling at 17 Squadron (Hurricanes), Debden, 25.9.1940. Now in a Hurricane and on equal footing with the enemy, he was quickly into the action, 2.10.1940, sharing in the destruction of a Do. 17 over Pulham. On 24.10.1940 Fajtl shared in the destruction of another Do. 17, this time over St. Neots.

C.O 122 Squadron - An Evader
Fajtl shared in damaging another Do. 17, 13.11.1940. He was posted to the newly formed 313 (Czech) Squadron (Spitfires), Catterick, 25.5.1941. The Squadron was primarily tasked with east coast convoy patrols, until its' move to Portreath in August. Having moved with the Squadron Fajtl carried out offensive sweeps and bomber escorts. He was appointed Flight Commander, 15.12.1941. Now flying out of Hornchurch the Squadron was tasked with Ramrods.

On the 10th April 1942 Fajtl Damaged a Bf. 109, south of Gravelines. Two days later he shared in damaging a Bf. 109, north of Hazebrouck. On the 27th April Fajtl took command of 122 Squadron (Spitfires), also operating out of Hornchurch.

On the 5th May, whilst escorting bombers to Lille, Fajtl was shot down by Lt. Artur Beese of I/JG 26. Before he crashed landed west of Hardifort he had Destroyed a Bf. 109 (his Recommendation for the D.F.C. gives two Destroyed in this action). Fajtl managed to evade capture, and returned to the UK at the end of August 1942. Having been awarded the D.F.C. he was posted to the Inspectorate of the Czech Air Force and attached to HQ 11 as Liaison Officer. He served at HQ 10 Group, October 1942-May 1943. During the latter period he wrote Sestelen (Shot Down), detailing his escape from France.

Between June-September 1943 Fajtl served as Station Commander of R.A.F. Church Stanton, R.A.F. Skeabrae and R.A.F. Ibsley. He subsequently served as commanding officer of 313 Squadron, Ibsley, September-December 1943.

The Eastern Front
Fajtl volunteered for service in Russia, and in February 1944 he took twenty-one Czech pilots with him. Upon arrival he formed and became the CO of the 1st Czechoslovak Fighter Air Regiment. Flying Lavochkin fighters he operated over the Carpathians and Slovakia with the Russian Air Force.

Fajtl remained in the Czech Air Force after the war, graduating from the War College in Prague during 1945. The following year he was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel, and served as Temporary Commander of the 1st Division, and as an instructor at the War College.

Despite being a decorated war hero Fajtl was arrested and dismissed from service during the Communist coup of February 1948. Two years later he was once again arrested, imprisoned and stripped of his military rank. Fajtl then worked as a labourer until 1964, when he was partially restored to the fold, becoming a Colonel of the Reserve. With the fall of the Communist Regime in 1990, he was re-instated with the rank of Brigadier General retired.

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Sold for
£4,200