Ernst Valenta
| Arnost Valenta | |
|---|---|
 Memorial to "The Fifty" at Stalag Luft III listing "F. O. Valenta G. W.", center right | |
| Born |
25 October 1912 Svébohov, Austria-Hungary |
| Died |
31 March 1944 (aged 31) Halbau, Germany |
| Nationality | Czech |
| Other names | Arnost, Wally |
| Occupation | Aviator |
| Known for | One of "The Fifty" |
Arnost Valenta (Czech pronunciation: [ˈarnoʃt ˈvalɛnta]; 25 October 1912 – 31 March 1944) was a Czechoslovak member of the Royal Air Force murdered by the Gestapo in March 1944.
Capture
Valenta's final flight was a mission in a Vickers Wellington Mk.IC, operated by No. 311 Squadron RAF, a Czechoslovakian manned bomber squadron. He departed from the airport at East Wretham on 6 February 1941 for a mission to Boulogne. His aircraft marked KX-T mistakingly landed on German-controlled territory in Flers (France)[1] and was captured intact. The Wellington was later flown by the Luftwaffe at its Experimental and Test Facility at Rechlin.
The Great Escape
Valenta played a significant role in preparations for The Great Escape, as he was the Head of Contacts (i.e. Scrounging) for the "X" Organization in North Compound at Stalag Luft 3.[2]
Valenta was one of 50 men killed following a mass escape from Stalag Luft III prisoner of war camp in World War II.[3] The camp was located in Sagan (now Żagań) in Poland.
Reportedly, he was amongst early pairs of escapees from the tunnel during the escape attempt of 24 March 1944. Recaptured in the Görlitz area and last seen alive on 31 March 1944, he was amongst a group of ten RAF officers in the charge of Oberregierungsrat Walter Scharpwinkel.
Fifty of the recaptured escapees were murdered by the Gestapo on Hitler's orders.
| Nationalities of the 50 executed |
 21 British |
 6 Canadian |
 6 Polish |
 5 Australian |
.svg.png){kind=small} 3 South African |
 2 New Zealanders |
 2 Norwegian |
.svg.png){kind=small} 1 Belgian |
 1 Czechoslovak |
 1 Frenchman |
.svg.png){kind=small} 1 Greek |
 1 Lithuanian |
Other crew
- P/O 82541 F. Cigos, RAF PoW No.402
- Sgt 787198 P. Uraba, RAF PoW No.450
- P/O 82588 E. Busina, PAF PoW No.401
- Sgt 787232 G. Kopal, RAF PoW No.441
- P/O 82903 K. Krizek, RAF PoW No.407
References
- ↑ http://forum.valka.cz/viewtopic.php/p/398136#398136
- ↑ Jonathan F. Vance, A Gallant Company: The True Story of "The Great Escape". (New York: ibooks, inc., 2000). Page 110.
- ↑ Alan Burgess (2004). The longest tunnel: the true story of World War II's great escape. Naval Institute Press. p. 127. ISBN 978-1-59114-097-9.
External links
- https://www.praha14.cz/zivot-na-praze-14/uvod-o-praze-14/letci-v-nazvech-ulic-cerneho-mostu/plk-i-m-arnost-valenta/ - a detailed biography with photo (Czech)
- http://forum.valka.cz/viewtopic.php/p/398136#398136 - Vickers Wellington KX-T detail and additional information (Czech)