Last farewell to veteran pilot Emil Boček held in Brno

Dozens of people attended the funeral service for General Emil Boček, which was held at Brno's Central Cemetery on Tuesday. The last surviving Czech airman who served in Britain’s RAF during WWII died on 25 March, a month after celebrating his 100th birthday.

Mr. Boček served with the RAF’s 312 and 310 squadrons and participated in over two dozen operational flights. After the war, he was persecuted by the communist regime and was only recognized for his services after the Velvet Revolution in 1989. He received many awards including the highest Czech state distinction, the Order of the White Lion.

The ceremony, which started with a flypast of a Gripen fighter jet, was attended by representatives of the Czech Army, including the Chief of General Staff Karel Řehka and British Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Matt Field.