Service number:

812071 (NCO/119816 (Officer)

Nationality:

British (1801-present, Kingdom)

After a career as air gunner, Leweis Smith began flight training in july 1941 in a Tiger Moth. At the end of his training in June 1942 he was qualified to fly Spitfires and carried out photography at high level, for instance in August over Dieppe.
On 11th October he was intercepted by 7 Fw190s and badly shot up he passed out at 50,000ft and came to at 2,000ft , his undercarriage collapsed after landing.
In February 1944 he served with No. 151 Operational Training Unit
and then went on to 22 Ferry Control Allahabad and his remaining war service was spent out in India and surrounding regions.
After the war he remained in the RAF and retired in 1959.

Promotions:
? Sergeant
February 26th, 1942: Pilot Officer (probation/emergency)
October 1st, 1942: Flying Officer (probation/war sub)
February 26th, 1944: Flight Lieutenant (war sub)
June 22nd, 1949: Commission relinquished, retaining rank as Squadron Leader
June 22nd, 1949: appointment as Flying Officer
March 1st, 1951: Flight Lieutenant
June 22nd, 1954: The period of service extended by five years
June 22nd, 1959: commission relinquished

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Corporal

Unit:

No. 500 (County of Kent) Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

June 14th, 1940

Citation:
"On 1st June 1940, Acting Corporal Smith was Air Gunner of an Anson which, in company with two others, was attacked by nine Me.109s. Although his pilot was taking violent evasive action, Acting Corporal Smith used his guns with such skill and coolness that he brought down one Me.109 and severely damaged another."

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Flying Officer

Unit:

No. 140 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

October 29th, 1943

• Photo 1: Vanessa Peta Lobanov-Rostovsky
• - TAVENDER, IAN, The Distinguished Flying Medal, J.B. Hayward & Son, 1990.
  - The London Gazette Issue 34873 published on the 14 June 1940
  - The London Gazette Issue 35531 published on the 21 April 1942
  - Second Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 35678 published on the 21 August 1942
  - Second Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 35791 published on the 17 November 1942
  - Second Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 36226 published on the 26 October 1943
  - Third Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 36428 published on the 14 March 1944
  - Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 38695 published on the 23 August 1949
  - Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 38695 published on the 23 August 1949
  - Second Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 39335 published on the 14 September 1951
  - Tenth Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 40375 published on the 31 December 1954
  - Second Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 41785 published on the 7 August 1959
  - Bonhams