Canada Rare unusual RCAF posthumous Operational Wing / Document

[arrestanddevelopment]

..a bit unusual...RAF /RCAF WW2 operation wing awarded after the individual was killed in action F/O Edward Walter Smith.

kind regards

Steve

[arrestanddevelopment]

• ..INTERESTING !!! seems his memorial cross was up for sale !! sadly missed it !!

SMITH, EDWARD WALTER Rank: Flying Officer Trade: Nav. Service No: J/12704 Date of Death: 14/01/1944 Age: 24 Regiment/Service: Royal Canadian Air Force 156 (R.A.F.) Sqdn. Grave Reference 8. F. 2. Cemetery SAGE WAR CEMETERY Additional Information:

Son of Walter J. and Mary Smith; husband of Elizabeth L. Smith, of Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada.

[arrestanddevelopment]

noted this as well..

North Star of Jan. 20, 1944 that Flying Officer Smith was listed as missing after recent air operations. It stated that the home of his wife, the former Elizabeth (Beth) Moore, was Parry Sound, but she was away teaching school in Thessalon.

Jan. 20, 1944 North Star story also states that Flying Officer Smith’s younger brother had been killed in action two months earlier while serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force in India. According to the Canadian Virtual War Memorial, Flying Officer William Davis Smith died Nov. 27, 1943 at age 21.
His next of kin is given as Walter John and Mary Jane Smith of Toronto

[iceman.1]

I know that this is a very old thread but I saw if for the first time just now.

Edward Smith is my deceased uncle. Neither he nor his parents were from, or lived in, Parry Sound. Rather he was born, raised and educated in Toronto. The Parry Sound connection is that before going overseas Edward married Beth (Elizabeth)  who was indeed from there.

I am the sole survivor in his family and have no idea as to how the medal made it to eBay. Possibly Beth's family who would not know him, or me for that matter, disposed of it. (I have all of his other medals)

I knew Beth until her death and she was one of the nicest people I ever met. She was a VERY classy lady.

Edward went to the University of Toronto, where, he met her. They both studied English and he was under serious consideration for a Rhodes scholarship.. He thought it more important to volunteer for service. He had a younger brother, William who also joined the air force. He died 3 months prior to Edward serving in India/Ceylon.

Mary and Walter lost their only two sons in that short time. My mother was the sole surviving child post war.

I hope this sheds some light on the long standing mystery

[peter monahan]

Iceman

If you click on the envelope icon at the top right of the page you can send a personal email to arrestanddevelopment.  

  I have sent him a note asking if he has seen your post and whether he still has the O wings.  If he responds, I'll ask him to contact you directly.  He does not seem to have made any other posts more recently than 2009, but I hope that his posting on your relative means that he is still a member of the GMIC and will get my note and any you may send him.

Peter

Edited May 13, 2015 by peter monahan