Sergeant William James Smith 457 Sqn RAAF, Reinterment Ceremony in France

[Brendan Cowan]

From the Defence Media Centre today:

Reinterment Ceremony in France for World War Two RAAF Pilot

What: Sergeant William James Smith will be reinterred at a ceremony with full military honours.

When: 11.30am (Central European Summer Time) on Thursday, 19 April, 2012.

Location: The ceremony will take place at the Cassel Cemetery in France.

Twenty-four year old Sergeant William James Smith was lost on operations on 9 May 1942. Number 457 Squadron had been escorting a bombing mission over enemy occupied territory to Bruges, Belgium.

Sergeant Smith was last seen by his Squadron near the coast of France engaged in a dogfight with an enemy aircraft at 20,000 feet over the English Channel.

Sergeant Smith and his Spitfire aircraft were discovered buried underground last October by a film crew producing a World War Two documentary in Hardifort, Northern France.

Media note: Due to time zone differences the service will take place at 7.30pm AEST on Thursday 19 April 2012.

Media contact: Leigh Harris, Air Force, 0439 302 195

[Martin Edwards]

SGT W.J. Smith 400942, RAAF WWII Spitfire Pilot, killed in his Spitfire in France 09 May 42.

Attached Image

[Warhawk]

His aircraft at the time was Spitfire VB BM180

BM180 Vb CBAF M45 9MU 22-3-42 457SQn RAAF 30-4-42 Missing presumed shot down by Bf109s nr Calais 9-5-42 Sgt W J Smith killed

The aircraft was one of two replacements flown in after the 30th April 42 combat losses

Sgt Smith also served in 452Sqn RAAF prior, from 4th Nov 1941 to 9th April 42
Prior to this, was posted in 52OTU for Spitfire conversion

Don't know the code of BM180
Gordy