Vojenští duchovní v Čs. samostatné obrněné brigádě ve Velké Británii (1943 – 1945)

Chaplains in the Czecho-Slovak Independent Armoured Brigade in Great Britain (1943 — 1945)

Autor: PEJS Oldřich

PEJS, Oldřich: Vojenští duchovní v Čs. samostatné obrněné brigádě ve Velké Británii (1943 – 1945)

PEJS, Oldřich: Chaplains in the Czecho-Slovak Independent Armoured Brigade in Great Britain (1943 — 1945).

Vojenská história, 9, 4, 2005, pp. 30 — 43.

In the study the author pointed out the fact that a transfer of the Czecho-Slovak Army group in the Middle East to Great Britain in 1943 and its connection with the western group of the Czecho-Slovak Army created a base for building up the Czecho-Slovak independent armoured brigade in Great Britain capable of combat deployment to invasive allied forces in the western front. Number of chaplains in the Czecho-Slovak ground army in Great Britain increased to 8 men and reorganization of the army brought a rational placement of chaplains within the Brigade and reserve group. The study gives data on a religious composition of the enlisted personnel and officer corps and pays attention to the work of chaplains of different religions. There is a detailed description of the activity of Protestant chaplain of Slovak nationality P. Šuľan who worked in the field of propaganda and participated in an exile radio broadcast destined for Slovakia. The study at the same time reminds a complaint of chaplains concerning a spiritual service in the foreign Czecho-Slovak Army handled by the state minister Gen R. Viest. In autumn 1944 the Brigade was deployed to battles near the northern French port of Dunkerque. Together with the Brigade, four chaplains went to the European mainland and through worships and personal contacts they fulfilled religious needs of Czecho-Slovak soldiers in combat conditions. Here the author focused on the situation of troops of Judaic faith. The study refers also to activities of chaplains coming from Slovakia during battles of the Czecho-Slovak unit at Dunkerque and on the activity of priests and monks of Bohemia that underwent a military training in Great Britain at the end of the World War II.

Keywords: Military History. Great Britain. World War II. Chaplains. Czecho-Slovak Independent Armoured Brigade in Great Britain.

Ročník: 9 | Číslo: 4/2005 | Stránky: 30 — 43