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Auction: 13002 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 28

A Scarce Great War 1917 D.H.4 Observer and Aerial Gunlayer's D.S.M. Group of Three to Air Mechanic 1st Class G. Smith, 5 (Naval) Squadron, Royal Naval Air Service, Who Claimed At Least 2 Victories with Captain C.R. 'Luppy' Lupton D.S.C., and Completed 101 Bombing Raids Before His Luck Ran Out. Smith Was Killed in Action, 18.3.1918, Taking Part in One of The Biggest Aerial Battles of the War - With Nearly 100 Aircraft Engaged. 30 of the German Aircraft Belonged to 'Richthofen's Circus' and Were Personally Led By Manfred Von Richthofen Himself. 15 Of The 'Flying Circus' Engaged Smith's Formation Resulting in His Aircraft Being Sent Down in Flames
a) Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (F.4430 G. Smith, Act. A.M. 1 GR. R.N.A.S. Dunkerque. 26.Oct.1917.)
b) British War and Victory Medals (F 4430 G. Smith. Act. A.M.1. R.N.A.S.), extremely fine, with the recipient's Great War Bronze Memorial Plaque, 'George Smith', in card holder (3)

D.S.M. London Gazette 19.12.1917 Act. Air Mech, 1st Gr, George Smith, ON F.4430

F.4430 Air Mechanic 1st Class George Smith, D.S.M., born Maidstone, Kent, 1891; enlisted Royal Naval Air Service, A.M. II, May 1915; posted for service with No 3 Wing, France, August 1916-April 1917; served at R.N.A.S. Crystal Palace, April 1917-June 1917; posted as Observer to 5 (Naval) Squadron (DH4s), Dunkirk, 1.7.1917; flew in mostly bombing raids throughout July and August, including on Varssenaere, Snelleghm and Houttave Aerodromes; he formed an early partnership with Flight Sub Lieutenant C.R. 'Luppy' Lupton; on 4.9.1917 they successfully bombed Bruges Docks, dropping their bombs on ammunition stores; on the 20th and the 25th they attacked Sparappelhock Aerodrome, before recording their first victory together on 28.9.1917, 'on leaving the coast over Blakenburghe, an Albatross D.III attacked from behind. Two pans were fired at him when he turned and spun down...the tracers from the back gun were seen to go into his engine and left plane' (R.N.A.S. Bomb Raid Report refers); in October raids carried out included on Engel and Houttave Aerodrome and the Zeebrugge Mole; Lupton was awarded the D.S.C. and Smith the D.S.M. for a raid on Thorout Rail Station and Varssenaere Aerdrome, 26.10.1917; on 4.11.1917 whilst on a bombing raid to Engel Aerodrome, 'Bombs were dropped over the line of sheds on the West side of the aerodrome... Ten E.A. were seen under the formation just after crossing the lines. One attacked N. 6009 [Lupton and Smith's D.H.4] and got right under the tail. After two pans had been fired at him he went down and landed at Engel Aerodrome' (R.N.A.S. Bomb Raid Report refers); on 8.12.1917 Lupton and Smith shared an Albatross forced down out of control over Aertrycke Aerodrome with Flight Sub Lieutenant Gamon and Aerial Gunlayer Winter; whilst trying to carry out a raid on Varssenaere Aerodrome, 10.12.1917, 'when at 1500 feet the radiator appeared to burst and we were covered in steam and water. I [Lupton] turned and tried to find the aerodrome which was difficult to do owing to the steam and water coming back from the engine. I was obliged to land with all bombs on and hit a triplane when on the point of landing and crashed' (R.N.A.S. Bomb Raid Report refers); having survived one hair-raising experience, they then suffered another when they were set upon by 5 enemy aircraft on the way back from a raid on Engel Aerodrome, 18.12.1917, 'Several double pans were fired into an attacking E.A. Tracers were seen to go into the machine from the back guns. After a minute or two he broke off the engagement and turned away' (Combat Report refers); throughout the early part of 1918 they were regularly engaged by enemy aircraft whilst enroute, and returning from, bombing raids; on 7.3.1918 2 miles east of St. Quentin, a 'machine flew across the front of the formation and two double trays were fired at him from the back guns with apparently no result, although tracers were seen to enter into his fuselage. Another hostile machine tried to come under the tail of our machine but after a few shots from our own back guns and from those of the machine in front, he dived steeply and went away' (Combat Report refers); on 18.3.1918, having completed 101 bombing raids, Smith's luck finally ran out; most of these raids had been flown with Lupton, but on this date his pilot was the 18 year old Flight Sub Lieutenant Ransford; on the latter date they took off for a raid on Busigny Aerodrome, led by Flight Commander Bartlett - in his book Bomber Pilot 1916-1918 he gives the following account:

'March 18th. A perfect morning. I led off seven bombers and two fighters at 9.45am and we all crossed the Lines in good formation over Bellicourt at 15,500 at 10.50am. Above Beaurevoir, Wodehouse, who was flying high, left the formation and turned back. Approaching Bohain the sky ahead seemed literally full of aircraft, three large formations of some twenty each to our north, and many smaller formations all about our height - but then too far to distinguish as friend or foe. Immediately after dropping our bombs and turning for home, every aircraft in the sky seemed to come together and there was a colossal mix-up. Everyone computed the enemy strength at between 50 and 60, and we ourselves numbered 38. All engaged in furious melee and immediately there were some fifteen or more Albatross and Fokker Triplanes on to our formation, very well handled, being part of the 'Richthofen Circus' [footnote gives - At least 30 of the enemy aircraft were indeed from Jagdstaffeln 6, 10 and 11 of Jagdeschwader Nr 1, led in person by Rittmeister Manfred von Richthofen. Between them these EA claimed 9 victories for no losses to JG1]. I kept our formation together as far as possible and together we accounted for three - two certainties and one probable.

Things happened so quickly and the fight was on such a big scale that it was impossible to follow all that was happening, but we saw numbers of EA spinning down on fire, our Camels following them right down; also a few of our own out of control. I had my front guns on to an Albatross at about 30 yards range for a few seconds as he cut across our bows, and got some 20-30 rounds into him, but he dived, coming up again under our tail. I slowed enough for Naylor to get a long burst into him and he went down pouring black smoke from his tail. Meanwhile I was trying to keep count of our formation and saw what appeared to be one of our DHs at the rear gliding down trailing a column of black smoke. McBain's gunlayer, Jones, shot the tail of an Albatross and Dickson's got another down out of control. We left the SEs and Camels still scrapping furiously, our intructions being to return immediately after dropping. Apart from accurate AA near the lines, our troubles were over.

This must have been the greatest aerial battle of the war so far, a total of nearly 100 aircraft engaged. On landing found Wodehouse had been shot to blazes, being hit three times in the ankle and another in his left shoulder after penetrating his tank, none of them serious however and he pulled off a good landing with a seized engine in a field near the aerodrome. His machine was riddled but his gunlayer, James, escaped with nothing worse than ripped clothing. Ransford failed to return and it must have been him we saw gliding down smoking badly. A sad loss and an excellent gunlayer in Smith. That makes our ninth casualty in nine consecutive days. The SEs accounted for eight E.A. for the loss of two of their own, and the Camels for two certainties; but as five Camels who followed their quarry right down failed to return, they probably got several more. I was talking over the 'phone to Captain Kitto, their leader, after we got back, and he said it was by far the biggest scrap he had ever been in. He seemed quite unnerved and kept repeating, "frightful affair, frightful affair..."

Undoubtedly the Germans accepted yesterday's challenge and concentrated their forces, including Richthofen's startingly-coloured 'Circus', with the idea of annihilating us, but they suffered more than we did despite the enormous tactical advantage.'

Both Smith and Ransford were buried in the St. Souplet British Cemetery, France. Lupton did not outlast his old partner by long, having been awarded the Bar to his D.S.C. for actions a few days after Smith's death, he was killed in May of the same year.

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