Flying Officer Jindřich "Henry" Bartoš (16 November 1911 – 13 February 1941) was a Czechoslovak fighter pilot who flew with the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain.
Jindřich Bartoš | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Jindřich Bartoš |
| Nickname(s) | Henry |
| Born | 16 November 1911 Lugansk, Russia |
| Died | 13 February 1941 (aged 29) Talacre, Prestatyn, United Kingdom |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance |  Czechoslovakia |
| Service |  Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1940-1941 |
| Rank | Flying officer |
| Unit | No. 312 Squadron RAF |
| Battles / wars | |
Biography
editBartoš was born in 1911 in Lugansk, then part of the Russian Empire. He graduated as a pilot from the Czechoslovak Army Academy in 1935.[1][2] He served in the Czech Air Force with the 2nd Air Regiment. When Germany invaded Czechoslovakia in 1938, Bartos escaped to Poland and then in the summer of 1939 on to France. On arrival in France, he joined the French Foreign Legion and then transferred to the Armee de l'Air where he fought for the Allies in the Battle of France.[3]
Following the fall of France, Bartoš sailed via Casablanca to Gibraltar, where he transferred to another ship and eventually landed in Cardiff on 5 August 1940, with fellow Czech Otto Hanzlíček.
Bartoš joined the Royal Air Force and trained as a Hurricane pilot. He joined No. 312 Czechoslovak Fighter Squadron RAF[4] on 5 September 1940 at RAF Duxford and became an operational pilot on 2 October 1940.[5] He flew with 312 Sqn throughout the Battle of Britain, initially as a section leader,[6] and following promotion to Flying Officer Bartos became the deputy flight leader of "B" flight.[7]
Bartoš was killed in a flying accident on 13 February 1941 during a high-altitude training flight with fellow Czech Sergeant Bohumil Votruba.[8] According to witnesses, the hurricane (tail number V6885) became caught in an uncontrollable spin, probably failure of oxygen device. It crashed at 14:30 at Talacre near Prestatyn.[9]
Bartoš was buried on 18 February 1941 in a Commonwealth War Grave in West Derby Cemetery, Liverpool.[10] Coincidentally he shares the grave plot with Otto Hanzlíček,[11] whom he arrived in the UK with.
References
edit- ^ "The Battle of Britain Historical Society Discussion Forum - P/O Jindrich Bartos 83220 No 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron". disc.yourwebapps.com. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017.
- ^ "Jindřich Bartoš: Life Before Britain". 2 January 2011.
- ^ "Online Website Reviews & Online Product Reviews cieldegloire". 8 November 2023.
- ^ "Jindřich Bartoš: Britain, Death and Funeral". 2 January 2011.
- ^ "No 312 virtual squadron RAF - Seznam personálu".
- ^ "V6885". Archived from the original on 30 July 2003. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
- ^ "Czechoslovak airmen in the RAF 1940-45". Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
- ^ "Casualty Details | CWGC".
- ^ "Bartoš, Jindřich : B". 4 December 2009.
- ^ "Casualty Details | CWGC".
- ^ "Casualty Details | CWGC".
