The Czechoslovak memorial honours several thousand veterans who were evacuated to the UK during WWII and served in the Czechoslovak Army, RAF, or other Allied Forces. They fought for the liberation of their homeland and the vision of a free, peaceful, and democratic world.
The design of the stone at the National Memorial Arboretum is inspired by the sandstone monument unveiled at Cholmondeley Park, Cheshire, in September 1940 where a camp was established to house the Czechoslovak forces after their evacuation from France. It was carved by one of their own, a young soldier, Franta Belsky who later became a renowned sculptor, amongst his many works being a statue of Earl Mountbatten of Burma which stands in Whitehall, London.
Eighty five years later the team from The Memorial Association For Free Czechoslovak Veterans (MAFCSV) have had the privilege of collaborating with stone mason Nick Young of Young Johnson to create a new stone which will incorporate design elements taken from the Cholmondeley memorial. These will become a valued part of the commemoration statement the National Memorial Arboretum promotes. The material is granite, sourced from India, with the lion emblem created by using marble coloured with enamels. It stands approximately 1.9 meters high and is 1.42 meters wide.
Central to the Belsky design was the white rampant lion with two intertwined tails, a traditional symbol of Czechoslovakia that appeared on military standards, cap badges, medals, and tanks. The lion now stands proudly in the Arboretum and symbolizes the Czechoslovak fighting spirit. Its earliest known depiction was found on a 13th century tile at Zvíkov Castle, Czechia, which reflects its historic origins. The heraldic prominence of the insignia especially arose during the First World War when it was adopted by the Nazdar Company, a unit of the French Legion made up of Czech volunteers who fought in France until the 1918 Armistice. Following the creation of the new Czechoslovak Republic the lion then became the national symbol and to acknowledge Slovakia’s status, the Slovak shield placed on the lion’s chest, symbolising the prominent position of a heart.
The importance of the lion symbol is especially demonstrated by its striking appearance on the national memorial at the military cemetery at Brookwood, Surrey. It is also carved into the Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstones of the Czechoslovak fallen that radiate from there across the United Kingdom and abroad.
By way of the wording on the stone, we recall the service our veterans gave through “duty, courage, sacrifice”. Those three powerful words also remind us that the struggle for freedom persisted beyond the war as they faced persecution under the Communist regime, which unlawfully seized power in 1948. For these Czechoslovak veterans, this betrayal led many to flee once more and escape interrogation, torture, imprisonment, hard labour, or even death. Their sole “crime”. was fighting alongside the Western Allies. Many returned to the UK, remembering the warm welcome they once received.
The phrase “Truth Prevails,” recorded in three languages, embodies the belief of Czechoslovak troops in the eventual triumph of truth and justice. Rooted in biblical origins, it was used during the 15th century to preserve Czech identity. Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, the first President of Czechoslovakia, adopted “truth prevails” as a presidential motto shortly after independence from Austria-Hungary in 1918. Throughout World War II, the slogan then appeared on the presidential standard of, wartime president in exile Edvard Beneš, as well as being adopted by the army, inspiring military units in France, Great Britain, and the Middle East.
At this time, the Memorial Association For Free Czechoslovak Veterans are proud they have delivered, with the support of the families and friends of the veterans, on their promise to raise a memorial with so much honourable history behind it. The dedication and unveiling took place on 20th June 2025, in the presence of three Lord Lieutenants, each representing King Charles III, dignitaries and military representatives from the Czech, Slovak and British Embassies, as well as the families of the veterans.
We hope all who see it will learn of this very special group of people from Czechoslovakia, and the part they played in the fight for our freedom and democracy in the UK and their homelands.
To find out more about the MAFCSV and the work it does please visit www.facebook.com/mafcsv
