LEST WE FORGET
Warrant Officer Stanley Edgar SMITH
Service No: 417018
Born: Hawthorn VIC, 10 May 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 8 November 1941 (at Adelaide SA)
Unit: No. 609 Squadron (RAF), B91 Landing Ground, Kluis, Netherlands
Died: Air Operations (No. 609 Squadron Typhoon aircraft PD572), Netherlands, 23 April 1945, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Nieuw-Scheemda Protestant Churchyard, Groningen, Netherlands
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Fritz Arnold Smith and Ethel Beatrice Smith; husband of Vera Mavis Smith, of Colonel Light Gardens, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Adelaide SA
Remembered: Panel 130, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
On the 23 April 1945, Typhoon PD572 was part of a Squadron formation, detailed to carry out RP and cannon attacks on shipping and barges in the Frisian Islands and in Emden Harbour. The aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire, and crashed near Funten at 1545 hours. Warrant Officer
Smith was seen attempting to bale out as the aircraft hit the ground, but his parachute did not open fully.
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/38/1042