British War Medal 1914-20: Captain Ross Macpherson Smith, Australian Flying Corps, AIF

Place Middle East: Ottoman Empire, Palestine
Accession Number RELAWM14287.007
Collection type Heraldry
Object type Medal
Maker Unknown
Place made United Kingdom
Date made c 1920
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Description

British War Medal 1914-20. Impressed around edge with recipient's details.

History / Summary

British War Medal 1914-20 associated with the service of Captain Ross MacPherson Smith. Smith enlisted in the AIF in August 1914. Initially serving in B Squadron, 3rd Light Horse Regiment as a sergeant, he was promoted to regimental sergeant major, and then commissioned 2nd lieutenant at Gallipoli in September 1915. In March 1916 he was promoted to lieutenant before being transferred to the 1st Light Horse Brigade Machine Gun Squadron a few months later. He was transferred to the Australian Flying Corps in October 1916 and promoted to captain in November 1917. In late 1918 he was detached from 1 Squadron AFC for special duty with the Royal Air Force in connection with a flight between Egypt and India. In early 1919 he reconnoitered a route between India and Australia and in July 1919 was attached to 31 Squadron RAF in India.

Smith was knighted in December 1919 for successfully flying from England to Australia within 30 days. His appointment with the AIF was terminated in May 1920. Sir Ross Smith was killed in England on 13 April 1922 when the Vickers Viking amphibian aircraft he was test flying spun into the ground from 305 metres. His body was repatriated and he is buried in the North Road Anglican cemetery, Adelaide.