Franciszek Surma

Franciszek Surma
Born	(1916-07-01)1 July 1916 Głębocz, German Empire (present-day Poland)
Died	8 November 1941(1941-11-08) (aged 25) United Kingdom
Allegiance	Poland United Kingdom
Service/branch	Polish Air Force Royal Air Force
Years of service	1932–1941
Rank	Flying Officer
Service number	76713
Unit	Polish 121st Fighter Escadrille No. 151 Squadron RAF No. 607 Squadron RAF No. 257 Squadron RAF No. 242 Squadron RAF No. 308 Polish Fighter Squadron
Battles/wars	Polish Defensive War, World War II
Awards	Virtuti Militari; Cross of Valour

Franciszek Surma (1 July 1916 – 8 November 1941) was a Polish fighter ace of the Polish Air Force in World War II with 5 confirmed kills.

Biography

Surma was born in Głębocz (present-day it is part of Gołkowice, Silesia), he was son of Franciszek and Tekla born Wodecka. In 1932 he entered the Cadets Corps in Różan, four years later he was admitted to the Polish Air Force Academy in Dęblin. On 15 June 1939 Surma was posted to the Polish 121st Fighter Escadrille in Kraków.

After the September Campaign he crossed the border with Romania, then he was evacuated to France via Liban and finally he reached Britain. After a training in No. 56 OTU Surma was assigned to the No. 151 Squadron RAF with which he took part in the Battle of Britain. On 11 September 1940 he was transferred to the No. 607 Squadron RAF, and on 26 September he shot down a Messerschmitt Bf 109. On 21 October he was ordered to the No. 257 Squadron RAF, one week later he damaged a Heinkel He 111 but was hit himself managing to bale out by parachute. From 12 December he served in the No. 242 Squadron RAF and on 3 March 1941 he arrived in the No. 308 Polish Fighter Squadron. On 11 May 1941 over Great Malvern, his Supermarine Spitfire was hit and begun to burn. Surma had to save himself by jumping with a parachute once again. From 22 July to 12 October he downed four Bf 109. On 8 November escorting bombers near Dunkirk Surma engaged Messerschmitt Bf 109's, during the fight he broke away from his squadron and never returned. His body was never found. He was probably hit by flak.

On 25 May 2002 the school of Gołkowice was named after Franciszek Surma.

Aerial victory credits

• 30 August 1940 He 111 (probably destroyed)
• 26 September 1940 - Bf 109
• 29 October 1940 He 111 (damaged)
• 26 March 1941 1/3 Junkers Ju 88 (probably destroyed)
• 22 July 1941 - Bf 109
• 16 September 1941 - Bf 109
• 20 September 1941 - Bf 109 (and one probably destroyed)
• 27 September 1941 Bf 109 (probably destroyed)
• 12 October 1941 - Bf 109

Awards

Virtuti Militari, Silver Cross
Cross of Valour (Poland), three times

Further reading

• Tadeusz Jerzy Krzystek, Anna Krzystek: Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii w latach 1940-1947 łącznie z Pomocniczą Lotniczą Służbą Kobiet (PLSK-WAAF). Sandomierz: Stratus, 2012, p. 546. ISBN 9788361421597
• Jerzy Pawlak: Absolwenci Szkoły Orląt: 1925-1939. Warszawa: Retro-Art, 2009, p. 221. ISBN 8387992224
• Piotr Sikora: Asy polskiego lotnictwa. Warszawa: Oficyna Wydawnicza Alma-Press. 2014, p. 355–359. ISBN 9788370205607
• Józef Zieliński: Asy polskiego lotnictwa. Warszawa: Agencja lotnicza ALTAIR, 1994, p. 69. ISBN 83862172.
• Józef Zieliński: Lotnicy polscy w Bitwie o Wielką Brytanię. Warszawa: Oficyna Wydawnicza MH, 2005, p. 194–195. ISBN 8390662043
• Wojciech Zmyślony. "polishairforce.pl - Franciszek Surma" (in Polish). Retrieved 16 June 2012.
• "Franciszek Surma" (in Polish). Archived from the original on 6 July 2009. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
• "samoloty.pl - Franciszek Surma" (in Polish). Archived from the original on 12 August 2011. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
• Krzysztof Witosz. "tajemnicehistorii - Franciszek Surma" (in Polish). Retrieved 16 June 2012.