The Airmen's Stories - P/O A Velebnovsky

Antonin Velebnovsky was born on 15th April 1915 and served in the Czech Air Force prior to the German takeover. He then travelled to Poland and enlisted in a Czech squadron there.

After Poland fell he made his way to France and served in the Armee de l’Air, he was once more on his way after the French collapse and ended up being commissioned in the RAF on 2nd August 1940.

Above image courtesy of www.fcafa.wordpress.com.

He arrived at 6 OTU Sutton Bridge on 28th September and after converting to Hurricanes he joined 85 Squadron at Church Fenton on 14th October. He moved to 1 Squadron at Wittering on 22nd October.

In May 1941 Velebnovsky was still with No. 1 as a Flight commander. He damaged a Me109 on 25th May while on a Blenheim escort mission.

Velebnovsky was killed in a night flying accident on 16th July 1941. Around midnight he was on a searchlight co-operation flight in Hurricane Z3902. After receiving directions from base Velebnovsky was not heard from again. His body was found the next day in his wrecked Hurricane in a wood near Graffham, eight miles from Tangmere. He had apparently flown into the top of a hill.

Velebnovsky was 26. He is buried in Chichester Cemetery.