Educated at Highgate School.
Joined RAF and posted to India in 1935.
He was awarded the DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross) 'For gallant and distinguished services rendered in connection with the operations in Waziristan during the period 16th December 1937 to 31st December 1938'.
He was promoted to temporary Squadron Leader of 20 Squadron on 1 July 1940 and left from Bombay to England in November 1941. He was promoted temporaray Wing Commander on 1 December 1941, and posted in command of 226 Squadron at Swanton Morley in Norfolk where they flew Boston medium range bombers on daylight bombing raids such as at Power Stations at Le Havre and Ostend and the Docks at Boulogne.
He received the DSO (Distinguished Service Order): 'On 19th August 1942, Wing Commander Surplice and Flying Officer Rutherford were pilot and navigator respectively of the leading aircraft of a formation of bombers detailed to release smoke bombs to screen the landing of troops on the beaches near Dieppe. On the accuracy of this, the first smoke sortie, depended not only the success of the subsequent smoke laying operations by following aircraft but, in a great measure, the safety of the entire combined operation. Fully aware of the importance of his mission, Wing Commander Surplice, skilfully guided by Flying Officer Rutherford, flew in to the target at a low level and, defying an intense barrage from the unhampered ground defences, dropped his smoke bombs with percise accuracy. Both these officers displayed the highest standard of courage, skill and devotion to duty in the successful accomplishment of a most vital and dangerous task. Wing Commander Surpice planned the detals of all the smoke laying operations allotted to the squadron.'
On 13 Sep 1943 he was promoted to Acting Group Captain. He was involved with the D Day landings on the 6th June 1944 from RAF Harwell in Oxford, and was the leader of a glider combination stream to LZ (Landing Zone) north of Caen. The squadrons were equipped with Armstrong Whitworth Albermarles used for paratroop dropping and glider operations.
He was thanked by General Eisenhower and was written about in glowing terms by the writer Dennis Wheatley.
In July 1944 his squadrons (295 and 270) were re-equipped with Short Stirling heavy bombers and he was invloved in SOE drops in France.
On September 19th 1944 he was involved in the Battle of Arnhem. Extract from Flying Log Book: 'Re-supply operation on DZ (Drop Zone) 2 miles west of Arnhem. Shot up by flak 100 miles before reaching target as a result of which 2 inches of petrol swilling about on floor of fuselage - crew nearly affixiated by fumes. Hit by flak (40mm) again over DZ. Wing Op slightly wounded by firt lot. 21 containers dropped.' He was to receive the Dutch Flying Cross for this.
In October 1944, 295 and 270 Squadrons were relocated to RAF Rivenhall in Essex to undertake supply drops to resistance forces in Norway.
On the night of the 2/3 November 1944 he led the first mission over Norway for his squadrons. The weather was not good and they climbed to 14000ft to try and get clear of a blizzard. The aircraft was icing up fast and he could not hold the aircraft steady and prevent spinning. He ordered everyone to jump , but he could not get out in time and was later found dead, still at the controls.
The crew of six parachuted to safety, some picked up by the Germans and others helped by the Norwegian Resistance. There is a book written called 'Escape from Lanemark'.
His body was concealed by the Resistance and then buried on 6 Nov 1945 in Vestre Gravelund Cemetery, Oslo. Grave number E2F-3-7.
References:
The above is a summary of the excellent book written by his son Roy Surplice.
Crash Site memorial:
http://www.vnakl.com/stirling/view.htm and
https://www.raf38group.org/lk171.htm Google Map Location:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/search/Skardsfjellet/@59.1905669,8.6777486,6228m/data=!3m1!1e3 
