Acting Squadron Leader BW Smithers
Brian William Smithers
Named in the book
- Rank
- Squadron Leader
- Later rank
- Acting Squadron Leader
- Honours
- DFC
- Squadron
- No 105 Squadron
- School
- Pretoria Boys High School
- Born
- 1918
- Fate
- Survived the war. Died 2004
- In the book
- Pages 73
From the book
More than a “Few” South Africans
Acting Squadron Leader Brian William Smithers, a Blenheim pilot earned his award during the defence of Malta. Born in Dorset in 1918 and educated at Pretoria Boys High, Smithers and Louw were the same age and may have competed on their respective schools playing fields where rivalry predated the First World War. Smithers flew Army Co-Operation Lysanders before No 105 Squadron Blenheim’s and transferred to the Special Duties secret air service in 1942 providing support for the resistance movement. Captain Bryan W. Smithers, DFC continued flying in a civilian capacity for the Johannesburg based “Aircraft Operating Company” until the 1970’s and died in Johannesburg in 2004.