Bohuslav Dofek

“I was in Dunkirk and I fought there. Although the word 'fought' is maybe a bit exaggerated. The Germans were closed there and we guarded them in order that they didn't run away or didn't cause troubles. Military actions took place there, there were patrols around Dunkirk and around canals surrounding them. On October 28, 1944 the leaders of our Army wanted to create a memorandum for this feast day. Well, we were commanded to besiege our area in Dunkirk in tanks and the tank crews went to assault. We went there in order to assault but it all turned out bad for us. The tanks were in their positions, Dunkirk was shot at. The town was surrounded by canals which were connected with the sea. There was a wounded guy in the neighboring crew, Harvan Miroslav. So I dragged him back so that they could take him to hospital. I was awarded the Bravery Decoration for this action.”

“Those moments when we were crossing the canals at night, those were the worst ones. I would say that such moments when you assault, when it all falls and they shoot, it is more bearable than going on patrol at night. You were pretty scared then. And then you were cold, freezing, the wind blowing from the sea, all was suspicious. Any noise meant a German... those were terrible moments.”

“I wanted to stay in Czechoslovakia but it was impossible as we, the Western Soldiers were looked at as at chocolate soldiers.”

“When the war was over we loaded our tanks, they went ahead of us. We went by trucks through France to Czechoslovakia. There was a sergeant-major, an elderly man, and he wanted girls. I was supposed to get them. Well, I went into a smaller town and I drank myself under the table. Then I should have gone back to where we camped but I went to a cemetery instead. I was drunk, I had no idea what was going on and I fell asleep on a grave. I woke up in the morning, I saw a cross over my head. Bloody hell, what was it? The guys were looking for me. They found me then, threw me in the track and we carried on.”

“We are Czechs. I have already done the stupid thing that I came back to Czechoslovakia. It was the same reason for which we came back again then, saying 'let it be the way it should be'.”