Island Vis (Croatia) RAF monument

[Karlo]

Greatings

 

Just arived home from vacation. My last destination was Island VIS i took military toor there and i found RAF monument. Hope you will like this link:

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/croatia/8529443/Croatian-island-of-Vis-remembers-World-War-Two-role.html

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/uknews/8526425/Second-World-War-veterans-gather-for-memorial-service-on-the-Croatian-island-of-Vis.html

 

It was Spitfire No 352 squadron. Think i Know what will be my next build . I would like to build one in 1/72 scale, so my question is which brand has best Spitfire in 1/72 ? Thank you !

 

Edited August 15, 2017 by Karlo
Second link

[stevehnz]

Thanks for the links, one of the lesser known areas of operation perhaps, so good to see it  commemorated. Vis looks like an attractive place for a holiday, wish I lived closer.

Steve.

[Graham Boak]

Unfortunately the Mk.Vc is one of the worst-represented variants in 1/72 scale.  Your best bet is the Sword one.  Try to avoid both the Heller/SMER and the Airfix.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Karlo ... thanks very interesting and informative. I Learn something new everyday. 

[tonyot]

Thank you for posting this story Karlo,.... it is great to hear of a memorial on VIS as it was quite a major British base alongside the Partisan`s. I sailed near to the island recently and was quite shocked to see how close it actually was to the mainland, I`d always imagined it being further away,

Cheers

         Tony

[Paul Bradley]

Viš has a long and storied connection to the British military, including a period where the Royal Navy was based on the island during the Napoleonic Wars, culminating in the Battle of Lissa. During that period, cricket was introduced to the island, and there is now an annual competition for cricket clubs from the UK and Croatia each summer.

The Royal Navy also had an MTB base there during WWII and as you've read, the RAF based squadrons on a makeshift airfield in the centre of the land.

Post-war, the island became one vst military base during the Tito era, and only in the last 25 years has is opened up to tourists again. It's a place I wanted to visit during my trio to Split in 2013, but we never made it. Next time......

[Karlo]

It is nice island i have some pictures on phone to. I found some old bullet near landing/take off road on island. Mama mia musical is now beeing filmed there, so it is growing. If you can find cheap flights to Split you can easly visit place from there. You just take ferry from Split to Vis. And @Paul Bradley i am amazed how much you know about Croatia. Nice profile picture too. And thanks others for reading post. Hope you it was intersting to you.

 

 

I found this old photo on google.

 

And here are some more photos if you would like to take a look:

https://www.google.hr/search?client=firefox-b-ab&biw=1760&bih=1000&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=Vis+vojni+objekti&oq=Vis+vojni+objekti&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0j0i5i30k1.6460.11872.0.12072.26.20.0.0.0.0.556.3033.1j2j2j1j3j1.10.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..19.7.1829...0i13k1.NfMIsuR_i5w#imgrc=qF_W2abCZ5C-1M:

[Jure Miljevic]

Hello

Karlo, this is probably nothing new to you, still ... There were several 352nd Sqn. Spitfires Vb(t) and one of them was named HRVAT. Also, 351st Sqn. Hurricanes RP Mk.IV had also been based on Vis, along with assorted collection of other types in Yugoslav service. As Vis had also been mid-Adriatic emergency airstrip for 15th AF's damaged bombers, one is hardly short of interesting types or colour schemes.

Paul, the battle of Vis had been fought in 1863 between Italian and Austrian fleet; Austrians won. I had no idea that Royal Navy had also been involved and would like to know more about it. Cheers

Jure

Edited August 16, 2017 by Jure Miljevic
spelling errors

[Paul Bradley]

Karlo - my wife's father was from Tugare, near Split. We visited relatives there in 2013, and I've fallen in love with the country. Beautiful place, lovely people.

 

Jure - check out this Wikipedia article about the first Battle of Lissa (1811) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lissa_(1811)

Edited August 16, 2017 by Paul Bradley

[Jure Miljevic]

Thanks Paul, I did not even know about this one. Well, live and learn. Cheers

Jure

[Paul Bradley]

No worries, glad to help! Croatia has a fascinating and complex history.

[Karlo]

The Island Vis has good geographical position, no Wonder so may wars have been there.

 

[tonyot]

I visited Split recently,..... beautiful place,...... but it was quite bitter sweet as one of my Army mates died there on the 25th March 1995 while serving with the UN, he had just turned 20 yrs old and was one of 72 British servicemen to die in the Balkan`s War,.... the fact that it was such a vibrant, bustling, beautiful place today was nice to see after those dark days, but it was a pity that I couldn`t find a memorial to the British/UN Forces anywhere to pay my respects.

We had a fly past by these Croatian helicopters;

 

 

Cheers

          Tony

Edited August 16, 2017 by tonyot

[Karlo]

11 minutes ago, tonyot said:

I visited Split recently,..... beautiful place,...... but it was quite bitter sweet as one of my Army mates died there on the 25th March 1995 while serving with the UN, he had just turned 20 yrs old and was one of 72 British servicemen to die in the Balkan`s War,.... the fact that it was such a vibrant, bustling, beautiful place today was nice to see after those dark days, but it was a pity that I couldn`t find a memorial to the British/UN Forces anywhere to pay my respects.

We had a fly past by these Croatian helicopters;

 

 

Cheers

          Tony

So sorry for your loss. I did some Research but i couldn't find any monument to UN, only one in Lika.

[tonyot]

4 minutes ago, Karlo said:

So sorry for your loss. I did some Research but i couldn't find any monument to UN, only one in Lika.

Cheers for looking Karlo and for your kind message, Lee was a cracking lad, so full of life and on the last day of the tour too.... I suppose their memorial is in the fact that the place is so vibrant and beautiful these days,..... maybe it is too early for a memorial yet?

Cheers

         Tony

[Karlo]

4 minutes ago, tonyot said:

Cheers for looking Karlo and for your kind message, Lee was a cracking lad, so full of life and on the last day of the tour too.... I suppose their memorial is in the fact that the place is so vibrant and beautiful these days,..... maybe it is too early for a memorial yet?

Cheers

         Tony

I will do some more Research if i find anything i will post it here. He gave his life for freedom of one nation, thanks to those people we have that beauty today !