RAF No 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron

Hurricane MkI RAF 310Sqn Bohumil Furst Duxford 7 Sep 1940 IWM CH1296

Sergeant Bohumil Furst of No. 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF is greeted by the squadron mascot on returning to RAF Duxford, Cambridgeshire, after a sortie in his Hawker Hurricane Mark I, 7 September 1940.

Imperial War Museum IWM CH 1296 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205209942

Hurricane MkI RAF 310Sqn NND P3143 Duxford 7 Sep 1940 IWM CH1299

Pilots of No. 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF and their British flight commanders grouped in front of Hawker Hurricane Mark I, P3143 'NN-D', at RAF Duxford, 7 September 1940. Standing, left to right: Pilot Officer Svatopluk Janouch, Sergeant Josef Vopalecky, Sergeant Raimund Puda, Sergeant Karel Seda, Sergeant Bohumir Furst and Sergeant Rudolf Zima. Sitting, left to right: Pilot Officer Vilem Goth, Flight Lieutenant Josef Maly, Flight Lieutenant Gordon L. Sinclair DFC, Flying Officer John E Boulton, Flight Lieutenant J Jefferies (who commanded the Squadron in January-June 1941, having changed his name by deed poll to Latimer), Pilot Officer Stanislav Zimprich, Sergeant Jan

Imperial War Museum IWM CH 1299 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205209949

Hawker Hurricane I RAF 310Sqn NND P3143 Duxford England 7 Sep 1940 IWM CH1299

Pilots of No. 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF and their British flight commanders grouped in front of Hawker Hurricane Mark I, P3143 'NN-D', at RAF Duxford, 7 September 1940. Standing, left to right: Pilot Officer Svatopluk Janouch, Sergeant Josef Vopalecky, Sergeant Raimund Puda, Sergeant Karel Seda, Sergeant Bohumir Furst and Sergeant Rudolf Zima. Sitting, left to right: Pilot Officer Vilem Goth, Flight Lieutenant Josef Maly, Flight Lieutenant Gordon L. Sinclair DFC, Flying Officer John E Boulton, Flight Lieutenant J Jefferies (who commanded the Squadron in January-June 1941, having changed his name by deed poll to Latimer), Pilot Officer Stanislav Zimprich, Sergeant Jan

Imperial War Museum IWM CH 1299 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205209941

Profile 01: This machine was flown by Czechoslovak pilots, (310th Sqn) from 24th July 1940 to 16th October 1940, when machine was crashed, pilot Sgt. J. Chalupa bailed out, but was killed. Four victory marks can be seen bellow the cockpit canopy. Source: Ilustrovana historie letectvi

Photo 01: RAF Hurricane 310Sqn NN-D Sgt. Bohumir Furst 01

A total of 88 Czech volunteers served with the RAF during the Battle of Britain, at first being absorbed into Regular and Auxiliary squadrons. Later, Fighter Command formed two special squadrons almost entirely composed of Czech personnel, the first, No. 310Sqn., forming at Duxford on 10 July 1940. The squadron became operational on 18 August and its first combat occurred on 26 August when it claimed three enemy aircraft destroyed for the loss of three Hurricanes, the pilots of which were unhurt. No. 310Sqn. retained the code letters 'NN' until its repatriation to Czechoslovakia in 1946.

This photograph shows Sgt. Bohumir Furst who served with the pre-war Czech Air Force until the final German occupation in March 1939, at which time he escaped to join l'Armee de 'Air and, during the French campaign, shared in the destruction of an Hs-126 and the probable destruction of a Do-17.After the fall of France, Furst made his way to England and, in August 1940, was one of the first pilots to join the newly-formed 310Sqn. During the Battle, Sgt. Furst claimed a Bf110, a Bf109 and an He111. He was later commissioned, received the Czech Military Cross, and after leaving the RAF in 1946 as a Flight Lieutenant, returned to Czechoslovakia.