Service number | 217 |
---|---|
Ranks Held | Captain, Lieutenant, Sergeant |
Birth Date | 04/12/1892 |
Birth Place | Australia: South Australia, Adelaide |
Death Date | 13/04/1922 |
Death Place | United Kingdom: England |
Final Rank | Captain |
Service | Australian Imperial Force |
Units |
|
Places | |
Conflict/Operation | First World War, 1914-1918 |
Captain Ross Macpherson Smith
Ross Smith had served in the cadets and the militia before he left Australia as a sergeant in the 3rd Light Horse Regiment in October 1914; he went to Gallipoli the following year. He was later commissioned and was at the battle of Romani (in the Sinai) in August 1916. The next year he volunteered for the Australian Flying Corps.
Flying with No. 1 Squadron AFC, Smith took part in attacks, aerial photography missions, and bombing raids on Turkish forces. On one occasion he landed in the face of the enemy to rescue a downed comrade. During his extensive war service he was awarded the Air Force Cross, twice awarded the Military Cross, and received the Distinguished Flying Cross three times.
A gifted flyer, Smith became experienced in flying his squadron's twin-engined Handley Page 0/400 bomber. On occasion, Lawrence of Arabia was his passenger. While still with the flying corps, he made pioneering flights from Cairo to Calcutta, and from Calcutta to Timor.
On 12 November 1919, assisted by his brother Keith and two mechanics, Wally Shiers and Jim Bennett, he set out to fly from England to Australia in a large Vickers Vimy bomber. It was an epic 28-day flight, completed at an average speed of 137 kilometres per hour, but not without mishap. On their arrival, the pioneering flyers were welcomed home as national heroes; their £10,000 prize money was shared equally. The two brothers were knighted.
In April 1922, while preparing for a record-breaking around the world flight, Smith and Bennett were killed in a crash. Keith Smith witnessed the death of his brother, who was not yet 30. Their famous Vimy aircraft was displayed at the Australian War Memorial, but is now in the Smiths' home town, Adelaide.
Rolls
-
Honours and Awards:
- Unit
- Australian Flying Corps
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Captain
-
Honours and Awards:
- Unit
- No. 1 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Lieutenant
-
Honours and Awards:
- Unit
- Australian Flying Corps
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Captain
-
Honours and Awards:
- Unit
- Australian Flying Corps
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Captain
-
Honours and Awards:
- Unit
- Australian Flying Corps
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Captain
-
Honours and Awards:
- Unit
- 67 Sqn RFC (3rd LH)
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Lieutenant
-
Honours and Awards (Recommendation):
- Unit
- No. 1 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Captain
-
Honours and Awards (Recommendation):
- Unit
- No. 1 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Captain
-
Honours and Awards (Recommendation):
- Unit
- No. 1 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Lieutenant
-
First World War Embarkation Roll:
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Sergeant
-
First World War Nominal Roll:
- Unit
- Australian Flying Corps
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Captain
-
Honours and Awards:
- Unit
- Australian Flying Corps
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Lieutenant
-
Honours and Awards:
- Unit
- Australian Flying Corps
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Captain
Timeline
Date of birth | 04/12/1892 | |
---|---|---|
Date of embarkation | 22/10/1914 | |
Other units | 1914 | 3rd Light Horse Regiment |
Date of enlistment | 19/08/1914 | |
Date and unit at appointment (Officers) | 09/08/1914 | 3rd Light Horse Regiment. |
Date of honour or award | 11/05/1917 | Military Cross. |
Other units | 1917 | 1 Squadron AFC |
Date of recommendation honour or award | 22/10/1918 | |
Date of recommendation honour or award | 1918 | |
Date of honour or award | 26/03/1918 | Bar to Military Cross. |
Date of honour or award | 08/02/1919 | 2nd Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross |
Date of honour or award | 08/02/1919 | Distinguished Flying Cross. |
Date of honour or award | 26/12/1919 | Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. |
Date of honour or award | 08/02/1919 | Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross. |
Date returned to Australia | 12/11/1919 | |
Other | 12/11/1919 | Set out on the 28 day flight from England to Australia. |
Date of honour or award | 03/06/1919 | Air Force Cross. |
Date of honour or award | 01/04/1920 | Hejaz Order of the Nahda - 4th Class. |
Date of death | 13/04/1922 |
Related information
Conflicts
Subjects
Related Objects
- SOUTH ALEXISHAFEN, NEW GUINEA. 1944-07-24. NON COMMISSIONED OFFICERS OF NO. 28 BATTERY, 2/14TH ...
- CANBERRA, ACT. 1944-07-12. THE VICKERS VIMY AIRCRAFT IN WHICH SIR ROSS MACPHERSON SMITH AND PARTY ...
- (1) Smith, Ross Macpherson, KBE, DFC, MC, AFC (Captain, b.1892 - d.1922); (2) Smith, Keith Macpherson, KBE (Lieutenant, b.1890 - d.1955)
- Smith, Ross Macpherson, KBE, DFC, MC, AFC (Captain, b.1892 - d.1922)
- Smith, Ross Macpherson; Smith, Keith Macpherson
- Captain Ross Macpherson Smith, (later Sir Ross Macpherson Smith, KBE, MC, DFC, AFC) left, and his ...
- Sir Ross Macpherson Smith's Vickers Vimy commercial type twin engined aircraft which was used in ...
- Sir Ross Macpherson Smith's Vickers Vimy commercial type twin engined aircraft which he flew in ...
- MASCOT, NSW. 1919. THE VICKERS VIMY AIRCRAFT IN WHICH SIR ROSS MACPHERSON SMITH AND KEITH SMITH ...
- MASCOT, NSW. 1919. INTERESTED SPECTATORS CROWD AROUND THE VICKERS VIMY AIRCRAFT IN WHICH SIR ROSS ...