Royal Navy: Commandos take stranded Czech D-Day veterans stuck in Jersey to Normandy Landings commemorations

Commando Merlins from 845 Naval Air Squadron flew Charles Strasser, 97, and Jirí Pavel Kafka, 100, to the Omaha Beach memorial service last week after they got stuck in Jersey. The civilian plane which flew to the channel island to pick up Mr Strasser, who settled in Jersey, malfunctioned due to a minor technical fault.

Two Merlin helicopters from Commando Helicopter Force - Navy 750 and 751 - were using Jersey as a “forward base” to assist with the commemorations. A message was passed on to Lieutenant Commander Bob Powell, aircraft commander of Navy 751, who agreed to assist them.

He said: “It was an entire team effort by the eight aircrew involved as well as the support provided by our two higher headquarters to get permissions quickly in place. It was an absolute honour to be able to support the veterans get to Normandy for the 80th anniversary of D-Day and to be a part of the international commemorations.”

With world leaders converging on Normandy, the simple flight was difficult to organise due to the highest possible level of security. The airspace over the region was declared as a restricted zone. The Merlins received clearance and set off for Caen, France. The normally-quiet provincial airport a buzz of activity: the German Chancellor’s aircraft was landing, while Air Force One, the Royal Flight and Ukrainian president’s jet were already on the ground.

The group comprised of two Czech Generals, a Colonel and five civilians made the service on time, with the helicopters returning to their home base of RNAS Yeovilton. Lt Cdr Powell, of Horndean, said: ”We owe their generation so much and it meant not only so much to us to be a part of it, but also to our friends and colleagues who have thanked us since then for doing it. As a Junglie, it was an incredibly rewarding, albeit unexpected, sortie to be involved in.”

Mr Strasser served as a dispatch rider with the Czech Independent Armoured Brigade which went on to liberate his homeland from the Nazis in 1945. Mr Kafka was one of 669 children rescued from occupied Czechoslovakia by Sir Nicholas Winton and others on the eve of the Second World War. As a Jew he would almost certainly have perished in the Holocaust had he not left Prague. He joined up aged 18 and become a radio operator and gunner with the RAF.

Assigned to 311 (Czech) Squadron, he flew in Liberator bombers to provide cover against U-boat and German surface aircraft to protect the invasion fleet.

Members of 845 Naval Air Squadron who helped the veterans

Navy 750: Lt Cdr Edwin (Ed) Adams RN, Lt Charles (Charlie) George RN, Sgt Jack Warwick RM, POACMN James (Edders) Edworthy RN

Navy 751: Lt Cdr Robert (Bob) Powell RN, Lt Josh (Galli) Gallimore RN, CPOACMN Simon (Crash) Evans, LACMN Jamie Keirle RN.