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Today in History


Name: Sydney Philip Smith
Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
Croix de Guerre		 Sydney Smith
Country: England
Rank: Captain
Service: Royal Flying Corps
Royal Air Force
Units: 6, 46
Victories: 5
Born: 10 May 1896
Place of Birth: Aldershot, Hampshire
Died: 06 April 1918 Killed In Action
Place of Death: Villers Bretonneux
Memorial: Arras Flying Services Memorial, Pas de Calais, France
 
 
Smith was killed when his Sopwith Camel was shot down by Manfred von Richthofen in a Fokker DR.I. He was the Red Baron's 76th victim. In his novel, "Winged Victory," Victor Yeates based the character of "Beal" on Sydney Smith.
 
Manfred von Richthofen's Combat Report
". . . we attacked several enemy one-seaters at low altitude. . . The English plane which I attacked started to burn after only a few shots from my guns. Then it crashed, burning near the little wood northeast of Villers Bretonneux, where it continued burning on the ground." Manfred von Richthofen
 
Victories
Date Time Unit Aircraft Opponent Location
1 17 Mar 1917 1205 6 B.E.2d (6278) 1 Albatros D.II (DES) Becelaere
2 16 Mar 1918 1130 46 Sopwith Camel (C1617) C (OOC) 2 S of Brebieres
3 16 Mar 1918 1200 46 Sopwith Camel (C1617) C (OOC) 2 S of Brebieres
4 24 Mar 1918 1600 46 Sopwith Camel (D6407) C (DES) 57C I 17c
5 02 Apr 1918 1245 46 Sopwith Camel C (DES) 3 Courcelles
1 Observer AM2 Backhouse
2 Shared with Capt George Thomson
3 Shared with Lt Alexander Vlasto, Lt Horace Debenham, 2Lt Donald MacLaren, 2Lt Roy McConnell
 
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