Loyal Unto Death: Antis. Isabel George

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СКАЧАТЬ him wherever he was going, the next three weeks would be quite a challenge. Arriving in Gibraltar on the last day of June, they were almost home and dry. Transferring to a transport ship, even third class was luxury compared to the variety of vessels they had taken during their journey so far and they bedded down for the next leg of the voyage which would take them into Dover.

      Bozděch and his dog settled into a space on deck near the stern. It gave them time to reflect on the journey so far and to make a plan on how to get the dog through the British quarantine regulations. It was obvious the authorities would be on the lookout for animals being smuggled out and even though there might have been some sympathy for a soldier risking his own life to protect his dog’s, it was not going to help Bozděch right now. It was against regulations and that was that. Through the ship’s officer and an interpreter, the men were told the consequences of not abiding by the strict quarantine laws. If they could pay the fees it would help the animal’s safe passage into the country. If not, the animal would be humanely destroyed. There was only one thing to do – smuggle the dog all the way through to disembarking in Liverpool.

      When the ship docked there was a great deal of confusion. The Czechoslovakians, along with other foreign servicemen who were all under the command of their own officers, mingled with the British soldiers and government personnel as the paperwork was sorted out. Everyone was in a rush to get to where they were expected to be and were not overly interested in anyone else’s problems. The men were lined up on deck and filed down the gangplank as their bags were collected and loaded onto lorries. There was only one bag that Bozděch was eager to get his hands on – the one that hid Antis. He lifted it slowly, softly singing under his breath, and made sure it was loaded onto the lorry. That left only one more hurdle – the kit bags were to be stacked on the station platform. Bozděch’s heart was in his throat. Antis had played along with his plan perfectly until then but was this too much to ask of the puppy? With bags loaded on top of him and around him, how could he keep quiet if he was hurt? Fortunately, Bozděch was not alone in this plan and everyone else who knew what was going on was aware of the immediate danger of Antis being discovered. They listened intently. Then they heard it – a whimper. A quick-thinking airman decided to join in with a very convincing act of a dog whining to go home! The man was a well-known joker in the group and so the display didn’t attract suspicion or the attention of the police or the officers. The men laughed and the police smiled and soon the bags were on board the train bound for Liverpool. For now, at least, Antis was safe.

      The men and their dog were bound for Cholmondeley Park, a majestic country estate in Cheshire. Cholmondeley was the designated camp for the Czechoslovak Army and Air Force and the location for the reuniting and redeploying of the Czechoslovak servicemen. The men had pitched their army-issue tents all over the grounds and they were welcome to do so. There was enormous respect for the Czechoslovakians from the British, thanks to their loyalty, strength and stoic endurance. Maybe it was a reputation built on a history of periodically having to fight for their rights. And here they were doing the same again, giving their all to the Allied cause. In 1939, they saw their own country fall to German occupation but instead of breaking them it only made them more determined than ever to win.

      Bringing the Czechoslovakians together at Cholmondeley was the catalyst for the formation of the Czechoslovak Squadrons of the RAF, something the men were incredibly proud to be a part of. On 22 July, during a visit from the exiled Czechoslovak President, Dr Beneš, the airmen were officially recognized as part of the RAF. The soldiers marched alongside the airmen in the parade and saluted them as they left the ground to prepare to take to the air once more. This time they would fly as Czechoslovakians under British control with the British Government officially recognizing them as allies and their homeland as the Provisional Government of Czechoslovakia in Exile.

      Located in rolling countryside a few miles outside Wolverhampton in the industrial West Midlands, the modern airfield of RAF Cosford was to be home to Antis and Bozděch for the next two months. There they would spend their time training, learning the basics and the most important elements of the English language and then they would get back in the air. For this stage, the men relinquished their ranks in the Czechoslovak Air Force and Bozděch was no longer a sergeant. For the duration of his training he would be an aircraftsman. And Antis? He had to learn to be patient and wait for his master to emerge from the classroom. And he would be there every night waiting for him. The training was run to a very strict timetable so it didn’t take the dog long to key in to the time he could expect to see his master at the end of the day. From the moment he saw Bozděch off in the morning Antis would set about finding breakfast leftovers in the canteen. Any snacks and attention could be easily found by visiting the nurses at the hospital on site or befriending the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAFs) who loved to see Antis and made sure he had plenty of attention.

      Antis was now a big puppy and, like most teenagers, he was all legs; when he ran his feet went in all directions. His head looked too big for his body and his ears still looked far too big for his head. He had all the physical indications of becoming a big dog and a handsome one too. His sable-coloured coat was short haired and it looked glossy and healthy. He had a lovely temperament and didn’t mind people approaching him; he would always greet people with a bright-eyed expression and with eager anticipation of getting plenty of attention. He took every encounter in his stride and was happy as long as no one was threatening his master.

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