Ferić, Mirosław.

Ferić, Mirosław, born 17-06-1915 in Travnik in Bosnia and Herzegovina, His father was a Bosnian Croat (who died during World War I) and his mother was a Pole. In 1919 his family moved to Poland. He graduated in 1938 from the Polish Air Force Academy in Dęblin   as a fighter pilot, and served with fighter escadre No. 111 with a rank of podporucznik pilot (2nd Lieutenant

During the Invasion of Poland in 1939, he served with Escadre No. 111, under command of Squadron Leader George Hill assigned to the Pursuit Brigade (Brygada Poscigowa) and defending the Warsaw area. On 03-09-1939 his PZL P.11c fighter was damaged in combat but he successfully bailed out. During the campaign he shot down a Hs 126 on 8 September as a ‘shared’ victory (other sources also credit him with a Bf 110 shared with others, but this victory was not officially credited).Squadron Leader  Hill survived the war and died 12-11-1969 (aged 51) in Orangeville, Ontario, Canada

On 17 September he and other pilots were ordered to evacuate to Romania.  No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron, There he was interned, but escaped and travelled to France by sea. After training on French aircraft, he was assigned to a flight commanded by Kazimierz Kuzian flying Morane MS-406 fighters protecting aircraft works around Nantes. However, Ferić saw no air combat. After the fall of France, Ferić evacuated in June 1940 to Great Britain.

After advanced training at an RAF OTU he was assigned to the newly formed Polish No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron, based at RAF Northolt flying Hawker Hurricanes and entering service in the Battle of Britain on 31-08-1940. No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron, (Left to right) Pilot Officer Mirosław Ferić, Flying Officers Bogdan Grzeszczak,   Jan “Johnny” Zumbach   and Zdzisław Henneberg and Flight Lieutenant John Alexander Kent, who commanded “A” Flight of No. 303 (Polish) Squadron RAF, October 1940. Grzeszczak was posted to 58 OTU Grangemouth on 21-04-1941 as an instructor. On 28th August, age 33. he was killed when conducting a practice dogfight, his Master T8581 spun out of control and crashed at Polmont, near Grangemouth.

On Miroslaw’s first day of combat he shot down a Messerschmitt Bf 109. On 2 September he probably shot down another one, but his plane was damaged and he made a forced landing. On 6 September he shot down another Bf 109, and on 15 September a Bf 109 and Bf 110. On 27 September he shot down a Bf 109 and a Heinkel He 111, and on 5 October a Bf 109.

After an operational break the squadron was back in combat in January 1941, flying Supermarine Spitfires on missions over France. On 22 June during a bomber escort he shot down a Bf 109, and on 27 June damaged another. In October he was sent to a six-month rest tour to an Operational Training Unit as an instructor, but after three months he volunteered to return to a combat posting.

Mirosław Ferić was the 11th ranked Polish fighter ace with 8 and 2/3 confirmed kills and 1 probable kill. From September 1939 he had kept a personal diary, which became No.303 Squadron’s unit history

pilot).

Death and burial ground of Ferić, Mirosław.

Ferić returned to No. 303 Squadron in January 1942. On 14 February, he was killed at RAF Northolt after his Spitfire (BL432) broke up at 3,000 feet (910 m) and the resulting G-forces as the aircraft corkscrewed held him inside and prevented him bailing out.  Miroslaw is buried at the Northwood Cemetery.

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