2nd Lieutenant Emerson Smith was a Canadian flying ace during the First World War. World War I. He was credited with seven aerial victories, six while flying a Sopwith Camel. He was shot down and wounded in October 1917 and captured.
Emerson Smith | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Emerson Arthur Lincoln Smith |
| Born | 7 September 1896 York, Ontario, Canada |
| Allegiance | Canada United Kingdom |
| Service | Royal Flying Corps Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1916- |
| Rank | 2nd Lieutenant |
| Unit | No. 45 Squadron RFC/RAF |
Early life
editSmith was born in York, Ontario on 7 September 1896.[1]
First World War
editIn April 1916 Smith enlisted in the East Kootenay Regiment, transferring to Royal Flying Corps on 5 February 1917.[2] After completing flying training in Canada was commissioned on 16 June 1917 and posted on 12 August 1917 to "A" Flight of 45 Squadron RFC on the Western Front.[2]
Only nine days after joining the squadron Smith helped to destroy a German Albatros scout aircraft, both he and his observer fired at the Albatros and it broke up in the air and crashed.[2] Now flying the Sopwith Camel, the flight were on patrol and engaged 15 Albatros scout aircraft, Smith shot down two.[2] The next day Smith was on an offensive patrol with the flight and they engaged with two DFW and five Albatros aircraft, Smith fired over a hundred rounds into one of Scouts sending it crashing out of control.[2] On 20 September 2nd Lieutenant Moody and Brownell each dived on a German Albatros and fired at it until it dived away, Smith followed the aircraft down firing at it until it went down in flames, they shared the victory.[2] Smith's next victory was on 22 September 1917 over Comines, after the patrol engaged 20 Albatros scouts Smith shot one down out of control.[2] His last victory was on 1 October 1917 when he shot down another Albatross out of control.[2]
On 26 October 1917 he was shot down by Joachim von Busse of Jasta 3, he was wounded and crashed, being captured by the Germans.[1]
List of aerial victories
editSee also Aerial victory standards of World War I
| No. | Date/time | Aircraft | Foe | Result | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 August 1917 @ 1000 | Sopwith 1½ Strutter | Albatros D.III | Destroyed | South East of Ypres | Observer/gunner: H Grenner[1] |
| 2 | 9 September 1917 @ 1630 | Sopwith Camel | Albatros C | Destroyed | Comines | [1] |
| 3 | 9 September 1917 @ 1635 | Sopwith Camel | Albatros C | Driven down out of control | Three miles east of Ypres | [1] |
| 4 | 10 September 1917 @ 1730 | Sopwith Camel | Albatros D.III | Driven down out of control | Houthoulst Forest | [1] |
| 5 | 20 September 1917 @ 1825 | Sopwith Camel | German aircraft | Destroyed in flames | Passchendaele | Shared with Lts Henry Moody and Raymond Brownell[1] |
| 6 | 21 September 1917 @ 1840 | Sopwith Camel | Albatros D.V | Driven down out of control | Passchendaele | [1] |
| 7 | 1 October 1917 @ 1220 | Sopwith Camel | Albatros D.V | Driven down out of control | Quesnoy | [1] |