Ross Macpherson Smith
Encyclopedia
Sir Ross Macpherson Smith KBE
, MC
& Bar
, DFC
& Two Bars
, AFC
(4 December 1892 – 13 April 1922) was an Australia
n aviator, who, along with his brother, Sir Keith Macpherson Smith
, became the first pilots to fly from England
to Australia, (in 1919).
His father migrated to Western Australia from Scotland and became a pastoralist in South Australia
. His mother was born in Western Australia, the daughter of a pioneer from Scotland. The boys boarded in Adelaide
, at Queen's School and for two years, in Scotland
.
He enlisted in 1914 in the 3rd Light Horse Regiment, landing at Gallipoli
13 May 1915. In 1917, he volunteered for the Australian Flying Corps. He was later twice awarded the Military Cross
and the Distinguished Flying Cross
three times, becoming and air ace with 11 confirmed aerial victories.
Smith was pilot for T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) and fought in aerial combat missions in the MIddle East. He is mentioned several times in Lawrence's book, Seven Pillars of Wisdom, Chapter 114.
In 1919, he and brother Keith, Sergeant Jim Bennett and Sergeant Wally Shiers flew from Hounslow Heath Aerodrome
, England, on 12 November 1919 in a Vickers Vimy
, eventually landing in Darwin
Australia on 10 December, taking less than 28 days, with actual flying time of 135 hours. The four men shared the £10,000 prize money put forward by the Australian government.
Ross Smith was killed (along with recently commissioned Lieutenant Bennett) while testing a Vickers Viking
amphibian aircraft which crashed in Byfleet soon after taking off from Brooklands
on 13 April 1922. The bodies were transported to Australia and Smith was given a state funeral and later buried on 15 June at the North Road Cemetery
, Adelaide
.
The great Australian cricketer Keith Ross Miller
was named after Smith and his brother.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
& Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
, DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
& Two Bars
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
, AFC
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
(4 December 1892 – 13 April 1922) was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n aviator, who, along with his brother, Sir Keith Macpherson Smith
Keith Macpherson Smith
Sir Keith Macpherson Smith KBE, was an Australian aviator, who, along with his brother, Sir Ross Macpherson Smith and two other men, became the first people to fly from England to Australia....
, became the first pilots to fly from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to Australia, (in 1919).
His father migrated to Western Australia from Scotland and became a pastoralist in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. His mother was born in Western Australia, the daughter of a pioneer from Scotland. The boys boarded in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, at Queen's School and for two years, in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
He enlisted in 1914 in the 3rd Light Horse Regiment, landing at Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
13 May 1915. In 1917, he volunteered for the Australian Flying Corps. He was later twice awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
and the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
three times, becoming and air ace with 11 confirmed aerial victories.
Smith was pilot for T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) and fought in aerial combat missions in the MIddle East. He is mentioned several times in Lawrence's book, Seven Pillars of Wisdom, Chapter 114.
In 1919, he and brother Keith, Sergeant Jim Bennett and Sergeant Wally Shiers flew from Hounslow Heath Aerodrome
Hounslow Heath Aerodrome
Hounslow Heath Aerodrome was a grass airfield, operational 1914-1920. It was situated in the London borough of Hounslow, and in 1919 was the location from which the first scheduled daily international commercial air services took place.-1909-1914:...
, England, on 12 November 1919 in a Vickers Vimy
Vickers Vimy
The Vickers Vimy was a British heavy bomber aircraft of the First World War and post-First World War era. It achieved success as both a military and civil aircraft, setting several notable records in long-distance flights in the interwar period, the most celebrated of which was the first non-stop...
, eventually landing in Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
Australia on 10 December, taking less than 28 days, with actual flying time of 135 hours. The four men shared the £10,000 prize money put forward by the Australian government.
Ross Smith was killed (along with recently commissioned Lieutenant Bennett) while testing a Vickers Viking
Vickers Viking
-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Vickers Aircraft since 1908. London: Putnam, 1988. ISBN 0-85177-815-1.* London, Peter. British Flying Boats. Stroud, UK: Sutton Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0-7509-2695-3....
amphibian aircraft which crashed in Byfleet soon after taking off from Brooklands
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907, and was the world's first purpose-built motorsport venue, as well as one of Britain's first airfields...
on 13 April 1922. The bodies were transported to Australia and Smith was given a state funeral and later buried on 15 June at the North Road Cemetery
North Road Cemetery
North Road Cemetery is located in the Adelaide suburb of Nailsworth, approximately 5 km north of the central business district. It is 7.3 hectares in size and there have been over 24,000 burials since its foundation in 1853...
, Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
.
The great Australian cricketer Keith Ross Miller
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
was named after Smith and his brother.