Nedved, Vladimir

Date of birth:: March 27th, 1917 (Brno, Czechoslovakia)
Date of death:: December 31st, 2012 (North Buderim/Queensland, Australia)
Service number:: 82624
Nationality:: Czechoslovakian

Biography

Vladimir Nedved joined the Czech Air Force in Oct 1936 and graduated from military college in 1938 as a Flt Lt. He fled the country after the German occupation travelling through Europe to south France and then to England. He joined No 311 Sqn and flew his first mission 9/12/40. After completing 25 missions, he underwent pilot training and returned to 311 Sqn in June 1942 as a qualified pilot. 311 Sqn was transferred to Coastal Command and Nedved flew Wellingtons and then in May 1943 B-24s in the Battle of the Atlantic. He describes a mission on 29/9/42 when his solitary Wellington was attacked over the Bay of Biscay by 3 Ju88 fighters of which 1 was shot down and another damaged. With typed extract from Sqn papers, May 1941 awarded Bar to Czech War Cross, Sep 1942 promoted Flt Lt, 11/9/42 crash landed, Dec 1942 promoted Sqn Ldr, 22/8/43 promoted Act Wg Cdr and assumed command of 311 Sqn, 15/9/43 decorated with DFC by AOC 19 Group.
In Aug 1945 he returned to Czechoslovakia qualifying as the youngest Colonel in the Air Force's history. After the communist takeover, he led a non-violent hijack of a civilian flight on 6th April 1948 with 17 escapees and landed at a USAF base in Germany as political refugees. In October 1948 he returned to UK, was granted GB Nationality 17/10/49 in London Gazette dated 16/12/49,and rejoined the RAF as a Flt Lt. His Log books start 19/10/48 with 31 Sqn and then 78 Sqn and run through to 23/7/58. He retired from RAF 31/10/58.

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Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Pilot Officer
Unit:: No. 311 (Czechoslovak) Squadron, Royal Air Force
Awarded on:: May 29th, 1941

Recommendation:
"On 16th December 1940, a Wellington aircraft with full war load of bombs and petrol crashed, shortly after taking off for an operational sortie to Mannheim, carrying a full crew. The crash happened in wooded country near this aerodrome. The navigator of this crew, Pilot Officer Nedved, a Czechoslovakian Officer, displayed the greatest courage, bravery and daring in rescuing two members of this crew with complete disregard of hos own personal safety. He found the 2nd pilot Sergeant Pavelka, lying wounded in the burning wreckage with ammunition exploding and petrol blazing. He dragged this N.C.O. to safety. Whilst executing this courageous deed an incendiary bomb and two 500lb bombs exploded. In spite of this and knowing full well that there was yet another 500lb bomb and fire bomb to explode, this officer returned to the burning debris and continued to to make gallant but ineffectual attempts to rescue the tail gunner, Pilot Officer Toul, who was trapped in the wreckage until the explosion of the third bomb blew Pilot Officer Nedved clear and scattered the debris of the aircraft around him and thus released the trapped gunner, whose rescue was eventually effected by others who by then had appeared on the scene. I have no hesitation in recommending this Officer for an immediate award of the George Cross."

Originally recommended for the immediate award of the George Cross but this was downgraded to an honorary MBE.