The Airmen's Stories - F/Sgt. J Kominek

Josef Kominek was born in Prague on 31st October 1913. He was in the Czechoslovak Air Force when the Germans took over his country on 15th March 1939.

He later went to Poland and joined the Czechoslovak Air Force there. When Poland fell, Kominek made his way to France and enlisted in the Armee de l’Air in late 1939. After the French collapse, he escaped to England.

Kominek joined 310 Squadron at Duxford at its formation on 10th July 1940. He claimed a Do17 destroyed on 15th September and a Me109 destroyed on the 27th. He was on patrol in Hurricane L1842 on 2nd November 1940 when it caught fire. He baled out, unhurt, and the aircraft crashed on to a bungalow at Warden, Sheppey.

Kominek was killed on 8th June 1941, in Hurricane Z2562 of 310 Squadron. The aircraft stalled and spun into the ground at Coe's Farm, near Girton, Cambridgeshire. The cause was considered to be disobedience of orders forbidding low flying, the aircraft being overloaded in a steep turn without enough airspeed and height.

Kominek is buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery.

He was awarded the Czechoslovak Military Cross (gazetted 15th July 1941).