Name
Victor Smith (DFC)
Conflict
Second World War
Date of Death / Age
20/12/1943
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Flight Lieutenant
128365
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
198 Sqdn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Distinguished Flying Cross
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Uden War Cemetery
5. C. 3.
Netherlands
Headstone Inscription
GREAT IN ADVENTURE - THIS THE LAST
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Boys’ Grammar School Memorial (WW2), Letchworth Town Memorial
Biography
Educated at Pixmore School in Letchworth, he gained a scholarship to the Hitchin Grammar School where he remained from 1927-1932. He played football for the school and was popular in Mattocke House and passed through the sixth form after taking the School Certificate. On leaving school he became a clerk at Mattozene in Stevenage.
He joined the R.A.F. in 1940, received the Service Number 128365 and was commissioned in 1942 and by the Spring of 1943 had taken part in 29 operations over enemy territory. Many of the sorties took place in bad weather, during which he attacked enemy gun-posts, railway stations, buildings and motor convoys raking them with machine-gun fire. He was attached to 3 Squadron and was awarded the D.F.C. for great courage, skill and keenness.
At the time of his death he was in 198 Squadron flying from Manston near Ramsgate in Kent using Typhoon lB Code Letter JR 316. He had nearly completed his tour of duty and was expecting promotion lo Squadron Leader. His aircraft had been escorting American Flying Fortresses to the Leeuwen area when it was damaged by flak, and he was reported as having bailed out as the plane appeared to crash into the Waal in Holland. In fact he crashed lkm from Dreumel near the river Maas and was buried by the Germans in Uden War Cemetery on the 23rd December 1943. The crash occurred at 22.04hrs and both the German and British authorities were unsure as to whether he was shot down or sustained engine problems. The mission cost the Allies 3 Spitfires, I Typhoon and 3 851 Mustangs.
He was buried in Plot 5, Row C, Grave 3 in the Uden Municipal War Cemetery in Holland.
At the time of his death he had only been married six months. His father was Mr Percy Robert Smith and his mother Mrs Martha Smith of 12, Ridge Road, Letchworth, his parents previously having lived at ‘Casa Loma’, Hazelfoot, Letchworth.
Acknowledgments
David C Baines – ‘Hitchin’s Century of Sacrifice’, Hitchin Grammar School Chronicle, Hitchin Grammar School Registers, S.D. Clarke - information at Uden Cemetery, Paul Johnson - local historian, ‘RAF Squadrons’ by C.G. Jefford, ‘Fighter Command Losses of the 2nd World War’ by N.L.R. Franks, Herts & Beds Express dated 16th Sep 1944, Citizen Newspaper dated 7th Jan 1944
