Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare and emotive Battle of Britain group of five awarded to Flying Officer J. Machacek, Czech Air Force and Royal Air Force, who flew numerous sorties with No. 145 Squadron from September 1940 up until his death in action on a “Circus” operation in July 1941 - qualifying for membership of the Caterpillar Club after being shot down and wounded in his Hurricane over Christchurch Bay during the Battle, he returned the favour by claiming a brace of 109s in the Squadron’s newly delivered Spitfires in the summer of 1941
1939-45 Star, clasp, Battle of Britain; Air Crew Europe Star; War Medal 1939-45; Czechoslovakia, Bravery Medal; Czechoslovakia, War Cross, together with the recipient’s Caterpillar Cub membership badge, the reverse officially inscribed, ‘P./O. G.(sic) Machacek’ and ‘Pres. by Irvine Co.’, Czech Pilot’s Badge, by Spink & Son, and a lucky charm, good very fine and better (8) £4000-5000

Jiri Machacek, who was born at Sedlcany in February 1915, was a pilot in the Czech Air Force at the time of the German annexation of his country in March 1939. Demobilised two days later, he made his way to Poland to join up with fellow ex-aircrew in June 1939, and thence, on the fall of Poland, to France, where he enlisted in l’Armée de l’Air. Finally, with the fall of France, he made his way to England, where he would shortly become one of 88 Czech pilots to see action in the Battle of Britain.

Although posted to No. (Czech) 310 Squadron at Duxford on 6 August 1940, he had no flying hours in Hurricanes and was accordingly packed off to No. 6 Operational Training Unit (O.T.U.) at Sutton Bridge. With a few hours experience under his belt, he was next ordered to No. 145 Squadron at Drem in early September, then commanded by Squadron Leader J. R. A. Peel, D.F.C. One week later, as a pilot in ‘A’ Flight, he flew his first operational sortie, the first of half a dozen such outings before the Squadron moved south to Tangmere on 8 October.

A few days later, on 15 October, in a dogfight with enemy aircraft over Christchurch Bay, Machacek was shot down by Me. 109s - wounded in the leg, he managed to bale out and and landed near New Milton, and was admitted to Lymington Hospital.

Rejoining 145 at Tangmere on 17 December 1940, he quickly returned to an operational footing and, in common with his fellow pilots, converted to Spitfires in the New Year - when Squadron Leader W. J. Leather, D.F.C., arrived to take command. Advanced to Flying Officer in February 1941, Machacek went on to complete numerous operational sorties, some of them of a cross-Channel nature, and some of them with resultant combats.

Machacek’s combat report of 21 June 1941 takes up the story: ‘I was White 1 as part of the Tangmere Wing when just after leaving the English coast near Deal, I saw an Me. 109 flying in front of me, about three miles E. of Dover. The E./A. was ahead and coming towards me and I made a quarter head attack firing four bursts with cannon and machine-guns together. Black smoke came from the E./A. which turned away to the left. I followed and the E./A. took evasive action but was unable to shake me off. I gave him another two bursts and pieces fell off his left wing. By this time another Spitfire (S./L. Burton, 616 Squadron) had joined combat and I gave the enemy aircraft another burst using full deflection. The E./A. pulled out of a dive at 3000-4000 feet and the pilot baled out about five miles S.S.W. of Canterbury, the aircraft crashing in the same vicinity. Camouflage: Blue nose, light blue camouflage. Square wing tips and black crosses.’

Verdict: a half-share in a confirmed victory.

A few days later, on the 28th, Machacek was back in action: ‘I took off at 7.40 from Marston, flying as Red 2 on offensive patrol for Foreland-Dunkirk-Calais. I crossed the French coast west of Dunkirk. I could not keep up with my Section Leader and got separated. I joined up with four Spitfires from 610 Squadron and was flying with them for about five minutes, when I saw a Spitfire flying below me alone. I broke away to join-up when I saw two Me. 109s flying in line astern below me. Having seen behind me I approached in a dive and gave the second one a short burst from line astern - range 200 yards. I saw pieces flying off the aircraft, then a thick black smoke. Because of my high speed I pulled out and turned to the right, climbing into the sun. Then I saw three Spitfires, in line astern, diving in the direction of the enemy aircraft of which I lost sight. I joined up with the Wing flying with bombers and left them east of Foreland. I landed at Hawkinge at 9.15.’

Verdict: one 109 probably destroyed.

But in the following month Machacek’s luck ran out, when he was shot down and killed during a cross-Channel “Circus” operation on July 8 1941. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial; sold with a file of research, including extensive O.R.B. entries covering his entire operational career in No. 145 Squadron.