Hello All.
I would like to start a pitch on Australian Aces that were born in my home town..Brisbane.
First (and not in any order of merit) is Francis Ryan Smith.
Frank Smith was born in 1896. Worked as a clerk before joining the Australian Infantry. He served with the 31st Battalion, receiving an MC in 1916. Transferred to the AFC, he was posted to 2 AFC Squadron in France on February 28 1918.
He claimed his first victory on May 9 when he destroyed a Pfalz D III over Marcoing.
By the end of September his score had reached 10. He was awarded a DFC which was gazetted on October 24. He was promoted to Captain and Flight Commander.
His most successful day was October 14 when he claimed three Fokker D VIIs destroyed and a fourth out of conrtol to bring his score to 16 (six destroyed and one shared destroyed, seven out of control and two shared out of control).
The aircraft he flew regularly was SE.5A (C6403), in which he scored 13 of his 16 victories. While strafing on November 10 his aircraft was shot down by ground fire but he evaded capture and made his way back through enemy lines three days after the Armistice.
There has to be a movie there somewhere. Skip. Out.
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