No. 313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF

[3] On 29 July, Czechoslovak fighter pilot Josef Jaške was appointed as joint commander of the squadron.

[5] On 15 December 1941 Sqn Ldr Karel Mrázek succeeded Jaške as commanding officer[4] and the squadron moved to RAF Hornchurch[6] in Essex.

[4] On 1 February 1944 Sqn Ldr Václav Bergman succeeded Fajtl as commanding officer.

[5] This model was fitted with 190-gallon "slipper" tanks to extend its range, enabling the squadron to escort bombers on raids deep into Germany.

On 22 May Sqn Ldr Alois Hochmál succeeded Bergman as commanding officer.

Also in October it reverted to the Spitfire IX, which it continued to operate until the end of its history as an RAF unit.

Air Marshal John Slessor inspected the parade, accompanied by A/M Karel Janoušek.

A 313 squadron pilot with a rigger, fitter and his Spitfire at RAF Hornchurch in April 1942
Ground crew changing the engine oil of a Spitfire LF My IX at RAF Appledram
Farewell parade of Czechoslovak squadrons at RAF Manston , Kent, on 3 August 1945. Air Marshal John Slessor , with walking stick, inspects some of the men. Air Marshal Karel Janoušek can be seen behind him.
A Spitfire Mk Vb in a sandbagged revetment at RAF Hornchurch in 1942 or 1943 as its pilot runs up its engine
313 Squadron pilot Arnošt Mrtvý , who was shot down and killed over Belgium on 19 April 1944