ARTHUR WILLIAM SMITH
“SKOOK”
Image courtesy of Edward of the THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN LONDON MONUMENT
Born: 1916, Southport, Florida, U.S.A.
Died: 28th March 1941; age: 26; aircraft accident at Bredfield, Suffolk.
Residence: Summerland, British Columbia, Canada.
Arthur joined the R.A.F. on a short service commission in June 1938 – after training he was posted to 8 Air Observer School at R.A.F. Evanton, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland, as a Staff Pilot. Arthur then joined 141 squadron at R.A.F. Turnhouse, 11km west of Edinburgh, Scotland on the 7th October 1939. Arthur served with this squadron throughout the Battle of Britain. On the 4th November 1940 he was posted to 242 squadron, Duxford, Cambridgeshire.
Rank: Flying Officer/Pilot; Service Number: 41073.
Regiment: Royal Air Force, 242 Squadron.
Grave Reference:
X.H.425.
Ipswich.
CENSUS
1921 Summerland, Yale, British Columbia, Canada.
Arthur was 5 years old and living with his parents & siblings.
Arthur Edward Smith, 50, a Farm Operator, born Aston, Warwickshire, England.
Amy Grace Smith (nee Garnett), 42, born Durham, Ontario.
Verma Grace Smith, 20, born Rural Municipality of Woodworth, Manitoba.
Merle Viola Smith, 18, born Virden, Manitoba.
Amy Evelyn Smith, 15, born Virden.
James Joseph Smith, 13, born Virden.
Edna Myrtle Smith, 10, born Virden.
Roy Edmund Smith, 2, born Summerland, British Columbia.
The Smith family were Methodists.
Arthur Edward Smith had immigrated with his parents & siblings in 1877.
On the 20th December 1939, at St. Andrew’s University, Scotland, Arthur married Disa Elizabeth Beveridge, born January 1921, South Africa – baptised: 1st January 1922, Cape Town, South Africa. Disa was a student at the university, she was 18 years old, when she arrived at the Port of Southampton on the 15th August 1938. Disa had sailed 1st Class. on board Royal Mail Motor Vessel ‘Dunnottar Castle’ of the Union-Castle Mail S.S. Company Ltd., she was to stay at The Hermitage Ladywell Road, Corstorpshire, Edinburgh. Disa was accompanied by her maternal spinster aunt, 47 year old, Charlotte Marie De Wet.
The officiating minister at the marriage was Disa’s grandfather, the Reverend John Beveridge, MBE, BD, Knight of the Order of St. Olaf. He was also St. Andrew’s library benefactor.
In a letter home Arthur wrote, “ this is Sunday morning and everyone in the mess is sitting around reading the Sunday papers. I think if Hitler could figure out some way to stop the English from getting their tea and Sunday papers he would have them completely licked.” I had to laugh when I was last in Edinburgh. The Germans bombed a distillery (probably by accident) and burned it to the ground including about half a million gallons of whiskey and I think the morale of Scotland dropped about 50 per cent, for awhile at least.”
http://www.summerlandbanners.com/wwiifallen.html
Arthur is remembered on the war memorial at Memorial Park, Summerland, British Columbia.
28th March 1941
Aircraft: Hurricane II serial number: Z2588; base: Duxford, Cambridgeshire. Arthur was patrolling over Clacton when the supercharger failed, he lost control of the aircraft and spun to the ground at Bradfield St. George, Suffolk.
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