During the First World War, particularly in 1916, he was taken prisoner on the Russian front, a year later he entered the Czechoslovak legions in Russia and was placed with the artillery.
After his return to Czechoslovakia he became a professional officer and for almost the whole inter-war period he was with the 51st Artillery Regiment, where he built up his career from a company commander to the Regiment's commanding officer. After the occupation of the Czech lands he departed abroad.
In France he acted as a commander of the 1st Artillery Regiment, with which he, in 1940, crossed the Channel to Great Britain. From March 1943 he commanded the Czechoslovak Independent Brigade, which he, until Spring 1944, converted to armour. The Czechoslovak Independent Armoured Brigade Group then, from September 1944 to May 1945, blocked the German garrison at the French port of Dunkirk. |
