Prague, Aug 14 (CTK) – Hundreds of people took part in the funeral of Czechoslovak World War Two veteran Jaroslav Klemes, the last living paratrooper sent from Britain to the occupied Czech Lands during the war who died at the age of 95 a week ago, on Monday.
He was buried with military honours at the Prague-Strasnice cemetery.
Tens of current paratroopers as well as the military top brass came to the ceremony.
The paratroopers held an honorary guard at his coffin. Two combat helicopters of the Czech military flew over the cemetery before the beginning of the funeral.
The guests included the Chamber of Deputies chairman Jan Hamacek, Defence Minister Martin Stropnicky, Chief of Staff Josef Becvar and Prague Archbishop Dominik Duka.
Wreaths were sent by tens of institutions and people, including President Milos Zeman and Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka .
Klemes, born on January 31, 1922, was a member of the Czechoslovak resistance movement abroad during World War Two. He was fighting in France and Britain.
Klemes was parachuted in the Protectorate Bohemia and Moravia as a radio operator of the Platinum-Pewter group in the night in February 1945. He landed near Nasavrky, east Bohemia. He was sending news from the Protectorate to Britain. With his Anna transmitter, he also took part in the anti-Nazi Prague Uprising in May 1945.
Klemes was awarded a Czechoslovak war cross of merit and other decorations. He was persecuted after the Communists seized power in Czechoslovakia in 1948. He was rehabilitated in 1968 and in 1990, after the collapse of the communist regime.
He received a medal for heroism in 1997 and the Order of White Lion last October.
Becvar said his airdrop in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia was a “one-way ticket,” when no one knew the outcome of his mission beforehand.
