Alois Liška

Alois Liška (1895–1977) was a Czech army officer who served in both World Wars, ultimately as a Brigade General commanding the 1st Czechoslovak Armoured Brigade at Dunkirk in 1944–45. He was born on 20 November 1895 in Záborčí, some 17 kilometres south east of Liberec, and died on 7 February 1977 in Putney, London.

Early life Liška was one of six siblings. In June 1914, he passed the leaving examination and graduated from Grammar School in Turnov.

Military service In 1915, during World War I, Liška was conscripted into the Austro–Hungarian Army and posted to the Russian front. He was taken prisoner of war (one source says that he defected and was promoted to general in 1946. The Communist takeover in 1948 and consequent purges of formerly London-based officers, however, led to his dismissal from the Army and obliged him to leave his country once again, without his family.