Lajes War Cemetery, Lajes, Azores.

Lajes War Cemetery was established during the Second World War, when Commonwealth forces were stationed on the island and the aerodrome was used by the Commonwealth and American air forces. Originally it contained both Commonwealth and American war graves – some of which were moved in from the town cemetery at Angra – but the remains of the American servicemen were later repatriated. Lajes War Cemetery now contains 47 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, one of which is unidentified. Nineteen of the graves are those of the passengers and crew of a Liberator which crashed into the hills when taking off on 14 March 1945. There are four Czechoslovak airmen, one Polish war grave and one non-war burial in the cemetery.

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Liberator EW626, of 246 Sqn, took-off from Lajes airfield, Azores, at 01:10 for a 2,000 km flight back to England. A total of 19 people, including the aircrew were on board. Three minutes later it crashed into a hill 6.5 km west of the airfield. There were no survivors.

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BROCHARD Dalibor, 20, W/O, 246 Sqn., Wireless Operator

* 11/05/24, Nitra

† 14/03/45, Lajes, Azores

Grave ref: Row D. Grave 10.

A symbolic urn, no 5, was returned to Slovakia 1945.

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JÍLEK Václav, 28, F/O, 246 Sqn., Pilot

* 11/07/16, Písečné, Žďár nad Sázavou

† 14/03/45, Lajes, Azores

Grave ref: Row D. Grave 8.

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KONDZIOLKA Ludvík, 32, W/O, 246 Sqn., Pilot

* 24/08/12, Dolní Lutyně, Karviná

† 14/03/45, Lajes, Azores

Grave ref: Row E. Grave 1.

A symbolic urn, no 5, was returned to Ostrava Hrabyni in 1945.

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VOLEK Alois Jaroslav, 28, F/Lt, 311 Sqn., Navigator

* 11/05/16, Vienna, Austria

† 14/03/45, Lajes, Azores

Grave ref: Row D. Grave 6.

A symbolic urn, no 5, was returned to Prague Olšanský hřbitov in 1945.

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Visiting information: here

Location Information:

This cemetery is located on the island of Terceira. It is known as the British Cemetery or “Cemiterio dos Ingleses”, located near “Bairro Joaquim Alves”. Taking the highway from Angra to Praia, turn left at the first roundabout, driving for approximately 150m, where you will find the cemetery. When exiting from the airport, follow the sign for Angra la Herosima and Praia da Vitoria. At the T junction turn left in the direction of Praia da Vitoria. Turn left at the first roundabout. Follow this road past a school and the cemetery will be found on the right-hand side after approximately 200 metres.

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The assistance of Ministerstvo obrany České republiky [Ministry of Defence, Czech Republic], the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and The War Graves Photographic Project, with this article, is very much appreciated.