Date of birth:

March 18th, 1916

Date of death:

July 24th, 1984

Service number:

39621

Nationality:

British

Promotions:
May 3th, 1937: Acting Pilot Officer (probation)
May 1st, 1938: Pilot Officer
May 1st, 1939: Acting Flight Lieutenant
September 1st, 1939: Flying Officer
September 3th, 1940: Flight Lieutenant (war sub)
July 1st, 1945: Temporary Squadron Leader

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Flight Lieutenant

Awarded on:

November 3rd, 1939

Citation:
"Acting Flight Lieutenant Smith and acting Flight Lieutenant J. Barrett were, respectively, in command of the first and second of three flying boats which, having intercepted messages from a torpedoed merchant ship in September, 1939, proceeded to the scene of the sinking ship (some 70 miles from the mainland) to undertake rescue work. A lifeboat was seen in the vicinity containing about 34 men and, as no submarine could be sighted, the first aircraft alighted and took on board 20 of the survivors. A thorough search for enemy submarines was made by the second aircraft which afterwards alighted and, in spite of the heavy swell, took on board the remaining survivors from the lifeboat."

Awarded simultaneously to Acting Flight Lieutenant John Barrett.
The ship mentioned was the steamship Kensington Court.
The investiture was the first investiture of WW2 and took place on Wednesday November 1st, 1939.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Flight Lieutenant

Awarded on:

January 1st, 1946

• - The London Gazette Issue 34399 published on the 18 May 1937
  - The London Gazette Issue 34493 published on the 15 March 1938
  - The London Gazette Issue 34657 published on the 22 August 1939
  - The London Gazette Issue 34674 published on the 8 September 1939
  - The London Gazette Issue 34724 published on the 3 November 1939
  - The London Gazette Issue 35083 published on the 21 February 1941
  - Second Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 37240 published on the 24 August 1945
  - Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 37418 published on the 1 January 1946
  - The Montreal Gazette, November 3rd, 1939
  - Haileybury