Quick Facts
Biography
2nd Lieutenant Emerson Smith was a Canadian flying ace during the First World War. World War I. He was credited with seven aerial victories, six while flying a Sopwith Camel. He was shot down and wounded in October 1917 and captured.
Early life
Smith was born in York, Ontario on 7 September 1896.
First World War
In April 1916 Smith enlisted in the East Kootenay Regiment, transferring to Royal Flying Corps on 5 February 1917. After completing flying training in Canada was commissioned on 16 June 1917 and posted on 12 August 1917 to "A" Flight of 45 Squadron RFC on the Western Front.
Only nine days after joining the squadron Smith helped to destroy a German Albatros scout aircraft, both he and his observer fired at the Albatros and it broke up in the air and crashed. Now flying the Sopwith Camel, the flight were on patrol and engaged 15 Albatros scout aircraft, Smith shot down two. The next day Smith was on an offensive patrol with the flight and they engaged with two DFW and five Albatros aircraft, Smith fired over a hundred rounds into one of Scouts sending it crashing out of control. On 20 September 2nd Lieutenant Moody and Brownell each dived on a German Albatros and fired at it until it dived away, Smith followed the aircraft down firing at it until it went down in flames, they shared the victory. Smith's next victory was on 22 September 1917 over Comines, after the patrol engaged 20 Albatros scouts Smith shot one down out of control. His last victory was on 1 October 1917 when he shot down another Albatross out of control.
On 26 October 1917 he was shot down by Joachim von Busse of Jasta 3, he was wounded and crashed, being captured by the Germans.
List of aerial victories
See also Aerial victory standards of World War I
| No. | Date/time | Aircraft | Foe | Result | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 August 1917 @ 1000 | Sopwith 1½ Strutter | Albatros D.III | Destroyed | South East of Ypres | Observer/gunner: H Grenner |
| 2 | 9 September 1917 @ 1630 | Sopwith Camel | Albatros C | Destroyed | Comines | |
| 3 | 9 September 1917 @ 1635 | Sopwith Camel | Albatros C | Driven down out of control | Three miles east of Ypres | |
| 4 | 10 September 1917 @ 1730 | Sopwith Camel | Albatros D.III | Driven down out of control | Houthoulst Forest | |
| 5 | 20 September 1917 @ 1825 | Sopwith Camel | German aircraft | Destroyed in flames | Passchendaele | Shared with Lts Henry Moody and Raymond Brownell |
| 6 | 21 September 1917 @ 1840 | Sopwith Camel | Albatros D.V | Driven down out of control | Passchendaele | |
| 7 | 1 October 1917 @ 1220 | Sopwith Camel | Albatros D.V | Driven down out of control | Quesnoy |