We were particularly delighted to have so many Czech and Slovak Schools with us and our returning Czech Scouts from Pardubice, after several years of Covid travel restrictions.

This year the main theme was that of service to others, and one’s country, something that resonated with the recent passing of the late Queen Elizabeth and the current situation in the Ukraine, as well as our own veterans.

The event was attended by Ambassador for the Slovak Republic H.E. Robert Ondrejcsk, Secretary Michal Žižlavský from the Czech Embassy London, the Slovak and Czech Defence Attaches, and defence representatives from the Australian, New Zealand, French, Norwegian, Polish and Hungarian Embassies, and the Deputy Mayor of Woking. We were hugely honoured by their attendance and look forward to welcoming them all again in May. Their presence reflects the new allies the Czech and Slovak Republics have now, and the respect they have for each other.

Wreaths and flowers were also laid by CWGC, The American Battle Monuments Commission, Friends of the Czechoslovak Memorial Fountain, Camberley RBL, The Queens Regiment, the Scouts and students from the Czech and Slovak Schools and the Frimley and Camberley Cadet Corps who were on parade. They did an incredible job, and we are proud to have them as an integral part of our events. Ruth Moore played the Last Post for us, which is always a moving and poignant moment in our service. The children placed wooden remembrance crosses in front of the headstones of those veterans who died during the war.

After we were able to enjoy catching up thanks to the hospitality of Eddie Jones and his team at the Estamine. Thank you to both the Czech and Slovak Embassies for contributing to the refreshments and providing the wooden remembrance crosses.

Thank you to the media team Antony McCallum, (Wyrdlight Photography) Alan Meeks and Mike Hillman who all film and photograph our events for posterity, and then allow us to use their pictures for free. We hope that you will also share your photos from the day on our posts.

The MAFCSV is hugely proud to organise and support events across the UK that remember the veterans. Our project with Okenko School continues to develop and we would love to hear from people who would like to talk to students about the veterans and their different experiences during the war. (Face to face or via Zoom.) It is important they know not everyone was a Fighter Pilot or a Secret Operative, but that every one of them had an important role to play in the fight for the freedom of Czechoslovakia, regardless of race or political leanings. If you would like to take part, then please message us through our Facebook page.

Equally the Czech Embassy would love to hear from the families of the WWII veterans who ended up living her after the war or who were forced to return after 1948. Please contact Secretary Michal Žižlavský at the Czech Embassy London to find out more about their Children of Heroes project.

Commemorative events like these take a great deal of time and effort to organise and of course money. To ensure we can continue to undertake these in the future we need your support. Please can we ask you donate whatever you can either by paypal using reference paypal.me/mafcsv or through online banking.

Our details are

Account Name: Memorial Ass. for Free Czechoslovak Veterans

Account No: 40953568

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