QUICK ADVANCEMENT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 May 1942, Page 3

QUICK ADVANCEMENT

YOUNG NEW ZEALAND WING COMMANDER

PROMOTED FROM PILOT OFFICER IN ELEVEN MONTHS.

RECORD OF GALLANT SERVICE. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, May 20. The 25-year-old Aucklander, I. S. Smith, D.F.C., was promoted to Wing Commander last month. He has risen from Pilot Officer in 11 months. Smith has had a remarkable career. He arrived in England in August, 1939, and joined a Hurricane squadron before the Battle of Britain. He was one of four of the squadron's 24 pilots surviving at that period during which he shot down a Heinkel and a Dornier. He and another pilot once attacked 100 German bombers after seeing them forming up over France. After the Battle of Britain the squadron was reformed and converted to night fighters flying Hurricanes and Defiants. Smith’s air-gunner for a time was B. Broit, Wellington, whose only complaint is that he had not had a “squirt” against the Hun for a whole 18 months. Smith was promoted Flight Lieutenant in June, 1941, and Squadron Leader in February, 1942. On the same day, he celebrated by shooting down a Dornier over a convoy. Smith is now flying a special aircraft. Pilot Officer R. W. Sampson, Cambridge, is an air gunner in Smith’s squadron. He shot down a Heinkel 111 during the last big raid over London in May last year, and also a Junkers 88 during a convoy patrol last October. It was one of four.