Saturday, May 10, 2008

F/Lt John G. Seth-Smith 1917-1945

John Seth-Smith was educated at Stowe and joined the Essex Yeomanry before the war as a Territorial, receiving his commision shortly before Dunkirk, through which he came with his Regiment.
Transferring to the RAF in 1941,he joined No168 Army Co-operation Squadron and later flew over France with the first Mustangs with which his Squadron was equipped. He was injured ina flying accident in the early part of 1944, and as soon as he recovered he tried hard to get back in the air. Although with a pronounced limp, he managed,solely by his own effort,to be placed upon the Special Duties list, and was then lent to Faireys, whom he joined in July 1944. He started test flying in September 1944.
He ws killed whilst test flying a Fairey Firefly which crashed on Barnes Common on September 13th 1945.