Josef Bernat
21 August 1915, Kojice — 30 May 2000, Whatton, England
Pilot and Wellington captain, holder of the Distinguished Flying Medal
No. 311 (Czechoslovak) Bomber Squadron, Royal Air Force
Awarded the Medal for Heroism in memoriam by the President of the Czech Republic, 28 October 2023
Photo: rafaci.cz — Czech RAF Airmen · Sources & Credits
This site is a tribute to Josef Bernat — a farmer's son from a small village on the Elbe who twice left his homeland to fight for its freedom, and twice paid the price of exile for it. These pages retrace his life in Czechoslovakia and in England, his wartime service, his decorations, and the traces he left behind.
His story
Biography
From Kojice to the cockpit of a Wellington bomber — a life between two countries.
The Pilot
The aircraft he flew — from Prostějov trainers to the Wellington and the Dakota.
Medals & Honours
The Medal for Heroism and his wartime decorations, and what they were awarded for.
Photographs
Photographs of Josef, his crew and the aircraft he flew.
Links & Reading
Articles, archives and books where his story is told.