THE Winged Lion is a memorial to the part played by Czech and Slovak airmen who served with the RAF during the Second World War.

It was unveiled in June 2014 and stands in Klarov Park in the centre of Prague next to the river Vltava, as a permanent reminder of the historic links between the United Kingdom and The Czech Republic and Slovakia.

The memorial was initiated by British expat residents of those countries and such was the feeling of gratitude to the Czechs and Slovaks of whom 2,500 served and 493 died that the sum of one hundred thousand pounds was raised in just a few months.

Malvern was represented at the unveiling through the town’s connection with the Czech spa town of Marianske Lazne and wider connections within the Prague business community.

At the official opening of the statue by Sir Nicholas Soames MP, grandson of Sir Winston Churchill before a large Czech, Slovak and British audience a Spitfire of 310 fighter Squadron flown from Britain to the Kbely military airfield outside Prague, then flew across Prague and made several sweeps over the famous Charles Bridge to the astonishment of and massive cheers from the crowd. It’s arrival at Kbely airfield was met by some of the survivors of the war, including former pilots of RAF 310 fighter and 311 bomber squadrons. A separate memorial was unveiled simultaneously in the Slovak capital Bratislava.

The Malvern Community Partnership responsible for twinning feels it appropriate to relay a message from Matus Murcko a 23 year old Czech man who describes himself as an aviator and is passionate about keeping the memory of the sacrifice alive. He sends his message to the Royal Air Force Association and the wider community and writes as follows:-

“I’m just an ordinary aviator interested in flying in all it’s ways. The RAF is significantly related to my nation’s history, that is the reason. Men from Czechoslovakia wanted to fight for their country but had no weapons, no land. Thanks to the RAF they could fight the occupants of their homeland and get a revenge for what they did to their families and friends. Together with all the British, Canadian, Australian, American and lot of other pilots they could return the freedom to our country. I’ve always seen those men, not only pilots but all the staff participating in the battles, as heroes. They left their homeland and left for Britain to join the terrible war of terror, hate and blood. They experienced all those nightmares of war, demolished cities and death all around them, all the time. They sacrificed their youth, hope for the future and most of them their own lives, only to let us live in freedom. And that should never be forgotten. I thank them for that and the only way I can pay them back is to let their memory live. I wear the badges so that when people ask I can tell them about them”. hope I can pass the heritage among the people. The heritage of freedom”.