Web
Analytics
Franciszek Antoni Wiza
This reproduced page is from our first website. It is now listed for review and reconstruction to a new high standard, as with many such pages it holds inaccuracies created by an inappropriate cause to be disclosed.

P1099 Franciszek Antoni Wiza K.V. (Krzyż Walecznych) and 2 bars, D.F.C. Born: Monday, 28th February 1916, in Lubeck, Germany. Died: Wednesday, 12th December 1956 New South Wales, Australia


We are very interested to hear from any relatives of Franciszek as our colleague, Mr. Alan Scheckenbach in Australia has recently discovered his unmarked grave.

Franek Grabowski, the Aircrew Remembrance Society, along with our many friends, are undertaking to change this, by either having his body exhumed and placed in a military grave in Poland or Australia. Failing this, to place a headstone or other marker on his grave.

The authorities at the Eastern Suburbs memorial Park - (formerly, Botany General Cemetery, New South Wales) are being most helpful are keen to assist us in our quest and willing to help in any way that they are able.

We are appealing for any next of kin to contact us, in order to obtain their permission.

To date, none have been traced!
315-squadron-p1099-franciszek-antoni-wiza-d.f.c.
Above 1st photo, left to right: Skalski - receiving D.S.O, Kolubinski - receiving D.F.C, Wiza - receiving DF.C.
2nd photo: Bajan, Skalski and Wiza. (Courtesy Peter Sikora)
Taken at Bentley Priory (Fighter Command H.Q) 4th April 1945.
What we know of Sq/Ldr. Wiza is as follows:

His father, Józef was born in Sweden his mother was Polish.
Flying instructor as a civilian in Aviation Cadet - Officer Reserve School in Radom, Sadkow, Poland.
Served in Polish Air Force, France, Lyon-Bron (October 1939 - June 1940)
Escaped to France, during the middle of 1940, promoted to officer status, made his way to England.

26th September 1940 - 2 A.A.C.U. Gosport - Staff pilot
29th September 1941 - C.G.S. Warmwell - Staff pilot

Trained at 58 O.T.U. August 1942 - December 1942
December 1942 - July 1943 315 Squadron
July 1943 - November 1943 316 Squadron
November 1943 - November 1944 302 Squadron
November 1944 - February 1945 315 Squadron
February 1945 - May 1945 61 O.T.U.

25th July transferred to Transport Command - ferried aircraft to India.
Demobbed in June 1947 at R.A.F. Rednal, Shropshire, England.
Returned and stayed in India, flying as a commercial airline pilot.

Sunday 27th July 1947, married Thelma Doreen Pell in Calcutta. Thelma was British, but born in India on Wednesday, 10th December 1919

Arrived in Australia on Wednesday,17th March 1948, flew with New Holland Airways. Became an Australian citizen on Monday, 4th July 1949.
Joined "Gibbes Sepik Airways", flying with the famous Australian "Ace" Bobby Gibbes
vh-fac
VN-FAC (Courtesy King)
Tuesday, 26th June 1951 uninjured with his navigator Flanagan, during a forced landing at Jacquinot Bay, Papua, New Ginea, due to fuel exhaustion / navigational errors. Aircraft suffered minor damage.

Married again just prior to his death in 1956 to Vera Lydia Ena Pudney in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. After his death she remarried in 1958.
p1099-franciszek-antoni-wiza-unmarked-grave-eastern-suburbs-memorial-park---0028formerly002c-botany-general-cemetery002c-new-south-wales002c-australia0029- zoom  sq003aldr.-franciszek-antoni-wiza-v.m.-0028virtuti-militari0029002c-c.v.-0028krzyz0307-walecznych0029-and-2-bars002c-d.f.c.--unmarked-grave zoom
The unmarked grave No. 1355 taken in 2012 at Eastern Suburbs memorial Park (Courtesy Alan Scheckenbach)

(Please, click to enlarge)

Died, age just 40 on Wednesday, 12th December 1956. Last known address 11 Waratah Street, Rushcutters Bay, New South Wales, Australia.
Buried: Eastern Suburbs memorial Park - formerly, Botany General Cemetery, New South Wales, Section 14, Row 28, Grave 1355.

V1 Claims:

Thursday 27th July 1944 Fl/Lt. Wiza 315 Squadron Mustang III FX995 PK-E V1 Destroyed 16.35 hrs. Off Dieppe, northern France.
Tuesday 1st August 1944 Fl/Lt. Wiza 315 Squadron Mustang III FX995 PK-E V1 Destroyed 14.35 hrs. Intercepted over the Channel at 2,800 ft, firing two short bursts from 300 yards, the diver dived steeply and exploded in the sea.
Tuesday 29th August 1944 Fl/Lt. Wiza 315 Squadron Mustang III FX8785 PK-F V1 Destroyed 13.49 hrs. Newchurch area, England. Shared with P/O. Hall of 486 Squadron.

Enemy aircraft Claims:

Friday 18th August 1943 F/O. Wiza 316 Squadron Spitfire MA235 Destroyed 1 Fw190 - Amiens area, northern France.
Friday 18th August 1943 F/O. Wiza 316 Squadron Spitfire MA235 Damaged 1 Fw190 - Amiens area, northern France.
Friday 7th December 1945 Fl/Lt. Wiza 315 Squadron Mustang III HB885 PK-I Destroyed 1 Bf109 Gossen Island, Norway
Friday 7th December 1945 Fl/Lt. Wiza 315 Squadron Mustang III HB885 PK-I Destroyed 1 Bf109 Gossen Island, Norway

With thanks to Alan Scheckenbach, Franek Grabowski, Peter Sikora, Brian and Diane Ramsey, Gilian Lewis, Fiona Stace, Kate Tame, Gail Tuffield, Linda Ibrom, Dave King.
Further information from Brian Cull / Bruce Lander "Diver! Diver! Diver!", Jerzy Bogdan Cynk - "The Polish Airforce At War" Vol. 2.

Privacy : Cookies : Responsibilities


Your privacy we take very seriously. We therefore never make your email address available to any third party, unless you specifically request us to. We do not collect any personal information about you for any purpose what so ever. Where cookies are used, this is to provide us with anonymous statistical information about how our pages are being used so that we can optimise our site for you, our users. Which enables us to measure how long a user remains on our site before moving on, but information is always anonymous.
Read more.