Jan Krivda
Sergeant, 311 (Czechoslavak) Sqdn, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserves
​
Died 16 December 1940
​27 years old
​
Row C, Grave 10

Born: 6 August 1913, Uhersky Brod, Czechoslovakia
Died: 16 December 1940 East Wretham, Norfolk, England

He was trained as a salesman at first.  He graduated from a School for Aviation Youth in Prostejov during his basic military service and he flew as a pilot of multi-engine aircrafts in the Air Regiments in Prague - Kbely and Nitra after that.

He left for France via Slovakia and Romania after German occupation in December 1939.  He sailed on a Norwegian ship to England after the fall of France.  He was assigned to 311 Czechoslovak Bomber squadron.  he was a member of the crew (Hrncir, Krivda, Nedved, Mares, Janousek, Toul) that found the dinghy of the downed bomber of 155 squadron during the organised search.

He flew his first operational flight as a crew member of Vickers Wellington Mk Ix, T2577, KXoG with the target of  the Mannheim raid on December 16 1940.  The take-off was too long and the aircraft did not climb even though both engines were running at full power.  Krivda attempted probably to turn back around and land but the aircraft caught on the tree tops and crashed. The fuel burst into flames and the bombs exploded too.  Sergeant Janousek died immediately after impact.  Three of the crew were killed, three survived.  the bad handling of the flap lever may have been the cause of the accident; it was next to the landing gear lever.

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