SURMA Francizek

The inscription on the memorial reads:
PRO PATRIA
FLYING OFFICER FRANCIZEK SURMA OF
308 (POLISH) SQUADRON R.A.F., LANDED
BY PARACHUTE, NEAR THIS SPOT, ON 11
MAY 1941, HAVING ABANDONED HIS
BURNING SPITFIRE AIRCRAFT, R6644.
FLYING OFFICER SURMA IS BELIEVED TO
HAVE BEEN KILLED IN ACTION NEAR
DUNKIRK ON 8 NOVEMBER 1941 AND
HAS NO KNOWN GRAVE.
WE WILL REMEMBER HIM.

Pilot Officer Francizek Surma was born on 1st July 1916 in Poland.  He served with a number of RAF squadrons and was shot down over Essex on 29th October 1940 during combat with an ME109.  He managed to bale out and survive with no injuries and was lucky a second time when he had to bale out of his aircraft again, this time over Malvern. On the 8th November 1941, his luck finally ran out when he was shot down over the English Channel at 13.05 hours.  He was posted missing, his body and aircraft were never recovered.  He is commemorated on the Polish War Memorial and the Warsaw Memorial.

The above information is courtesy and copyright of:
http://aircrewremembered.com/surma-franciszek.html  [with photos]

Photo courtesy and copyright of the Battle of Britain London Monument

Photo courtesy & copyright of Polish Squadrons Remembered