Smith, Ronald Richard
Personal Information
Rank | F/O |
Forename(s) | Ronald Richard |
Surname | Smith |
Gender | M |
Age | 21 |
Date of Death | 05-07-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of Richard Henry and Mary Philomena Smith, of Belmore, New South Wales. Australia. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster III |
Serial Number | JB723 |
Markings | DX-P |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | France |
Burial/Memorial Place | Aubermesnil Churchyard |
Grave Reference | Coll. grave. |
Epitaph | GOD HAS YOU IN HIS KEEPING. EVER IN OUR HEARTS. MOTHER, FATHER AND SISTER |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 1 |
Panel Number | 99 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 420793 |
Service | Royal Australian Air Force |
Group | 5 |
Squadron | 57 |
Squadron Motto | Corpus non animum muto (I change my body, not my spirit) |
Trade | Pilot |
Country of Origin | Australia |
Other Memorials
Location | Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, East Kirkby, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Sculptures, Inscribed Memeorial Stone & Inscribed Metal Plaques |
Memorial Text | In memory of those who gave their lives with 57 and 630 Squadrons 1939 - 1945 |
Location | Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, East Kirkby, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stenciled 57 Sqn RoH in site Chapel |
Memorial Text | In proud memory of the men of No. 57 Squadron who lost their lives operating from Royal Air Force East Kirkby 1943 to 1945 |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/539/14 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/539/13 |
Fellow Servicemen
Please note that this list gives all the losses aboard the quoted aircraft and occasionally these may have occurred on an earlier date when the aircraft was not itself lost. Please check the dates of death carefully.
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 04-07-1944 |
End Date | 05-07-1944 |
Takeoff Station | East Kirkby |
Day/Night Raid | Night (98% moon) |
Operation | St. Leu |
Reason for Loss | Shot down by a night-fighter flown by Lt. Gerhard Wagner, of 9./NJG 5 north of Aumale, France at an altitude of 2500 m at 0200 hrs. The aircraft crashed near Aubermesnil-aux-Érables, near Foucarmont, 8 miles North East of Neufchatel-en-Bray. |