Boško Petrović (aviator)

For other people with the same name, see Boško Petrović.

Božidar "Boško" Petrović
Nickname(s)	Fernández García
Born	(1911-04-07)7 April 1911 Bela Palanka, Kingdom of Serbia
Died	12 July 1937(1937-07-12) (aged 26) Villanueva de la Cañada, Spain
Allegiance	Kingdom of Yugoslavia Spanish Republic
Service / branch	Royal Yugoslav Air Force Spanish Republican Air Force
Years of service	1936–1937
Rank	Lieutenant
Unit	2ª Escuadrilla, Grupo 12
Battles / wars	Spanish Civil War Siege of Madrid Battle of Brunete †
Alma mater	University of Belgrade

Božidar "Boško" Petrović (7 April 1911 – 12 July 1937) was a Yugoslav fighter ace of the Spanish Civil War and professional footballer.

Biography

Boško Petrović was born in Bela Palanka in the Kingdom of Serbia in 1911. After the completion of his secondary education, he attended the University of Belgrade, studying law. While a student, Petrović began his professional football career, beginning his career at Belgrade clubs FK BASK and BUSK before joining FK Vojvodina in 1932. In 1934 he moved to SK Jugoslavija, one of the stronhest clubs in Yugoslavia, where he played until 1936. That same year he was in the Yugoslavia national football team and played a match in Paris against the French. It was also during this time he joined the then-illegal Communist Party of Yugoslavia. After graduating from university, Petrović joined the Royal Yugoslav Air Force and was sent to Novi Sad to train as a pilot cadet. He took advantage of a trip to Paris in 1936 with his football team to test out new aircraft, including the Hawker Fury.

At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, Petrović chose to join the fight on the side of the Spanish Republic and made his way to Spain along with his friend Sreten Dudić under the pseudonym of Fernández García. Upon their arrival, the two pilots were sent on a 26-day training course in Albacete before being sent to the front. After participating in multiple battles, including the Siege of Madrid, Petrović was killed on 12 July 1937, the same day he received his fifth confirmed kill. Shortly after his death, his brother Dobre arrived in Spain and took his place in the squadron.

After the communists emerged victorious in Yugoslavia following World War II, the government commemorated Petrović by naming several streets after the pilot and dedicating a plaque to him in Partizan Stadium.

See also

• Yugoslav volunteers in the Spanish Civil War
• List of Spanish Civil War flying aces

External links

• Boško Petrović at Reprezentacija.rs (in Serbian)