The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (411539) Flight Lieutenant Henry Lacy Smith, 453 Squadron, Second World War

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Joanne Smedley, the story for this day was on (411539) Flight Lieutenant Henry Lacy Smith, 453 Squadron, Second World War.

411539 Flight Lieutenant Henry Lacy Smith, No. 453 Squadron, RAAF
KIA 11 June 1944
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 8 February 2014

Today we remember Flight Lieutenant Henry Lacy Smith, RAAF, who was killed in action on 11 June 1944.

Lacy Smith was born in the Sydney suburb of Sans Souci in 1917 and worked in the textiles industry. He wanted to fly, and privately undertook flight training at the Kingsford Smith Flying School. Following Germany's invasion of France in 1940, Smith enlisted in the army. He soldiered for nearly a year before transferring to the RAAF in May 1941.

Smith completed his initial training in Australia, and in October was sent to Canada where he qualified as a pilot. Promoted to sergeant in February 1942, he was posted to Britain the following month; there he was commissioned as a pilot officer, and he joined No. 66 Squadron, RAF, in September.

Flying Supermarine Spitfires, the squadron conducted fighter sweeps over occupied France and provided daytime escorts for bombers. By late January 1943 Smith had over 300 flying hours and was described by his commanding officer as being "always keen to take part in operations against the enemy". He married English girl Edna Dorothy Smith on 19 January and in February was posted to Gibraltar for a month before returning to Britain to join No. 132 Squadron in April.

Smith remained with the squadron for eight months until February 1944. He joined the RAAF's No. 435 Squadron in early May and, now a flight lieutenant, became a flight leader. This squadron, like most of the Allied forces in Britain, was preparing for D-Day and the imminent invasion of Normandy. Writing to his wife in May, Smith said:
As you can imagine we're working pretty steadily in preparation for things to come. It shouldn't be long now. I'm quite settled in with the Aussies ... See you soon. Love. Lacy.

The squadron's workload only increased once the invasion began flying sweeps over the invasion beaches. Smith's logbook entry for 6 June notes simply: "'D' DAY. ALLIES INVADE FRANCE."

Late in the evening of 11 June, the squadron was patrolling over Ouistreham, a port town near Caen, when Smith's Spitfire was hit by anti-aircraft fire. He continued to lose height until his aircraft struck water in a canal, skidding along the surface before nosing into the water and flipping over. There were no signs indicating Smith exited the cockpit, and no-one on the ground was seen to approach the wreck.

There was little hope for Smith's survival. The squadron's operation book noted: "We feel his chances of being safe are very slight and all are saddened by the loss of a good pilot and a good leader." He was 27 years old.

Initially posted as "missing", Smith remained so for 66 years. His Spitfire was finally discovered in November 2010, and five months later his remains were buried with full military honours in Ranville Cemetery, France.

Flight Lieutenant Henry Lacy Smith is also commemorated here, on the Roll of Honour to my left, along with some 40,000 Australians who died during the Second World War. There is no photograph in the collection to display beside the Pool of Reflection.

We now remember his service and all of those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.