Rudolf Piowatý

Rudolf Piowaty joined the Czechoslovak military near the end of World War I, and began his full-time military service in October 1921, leading to his career as a military officer. He also became a top swimmer while in the Army and won his first Czechoslovak title in 1921. He continued to win national titles over the next few years, allowing him to compete at the 1924 Paris Olympics.

During World War II Piowaty left occupied Czechoslovakia in July 1942, and made his way to Germany, near Lake Constance. He used his swimming prowess to get to Switzerland, swimming across the lake. Piowaty settled in Genève where he worked for the League of Nations in the Office of the Permanent Delegation to the Czechoslovak Republic.

After the liberation of France, Piowaty was sent across that country to Great Britain where he served in the Czechoslovak reserves as a lieutenant and became interim commander of his company. He returned to Czechoslovakia on 14 November 1945 and was awarded the Czechoslovak Military Medal of Merit, 2nd degree, and the Czechoslovak Military Commemorative Medal, after which he was transferred to the reserves permanently. After the Communist takeover Piowaty left his home country in 1948 to settle in Canada where he worked in the furniture trade and leisure and tourism.