One of the all-time Maritime characters and a great pilot. Always a smile and a humorous story.
When he went for his initial RAF careers office interview he was smoking a pipe prior to being called in. Once called he tapped the tobacco out of the pipe and put it in his jacket breast pocket. Part way through the interview the interviewer pointed out that his jacket was on fire!
The further story was that once back home he took the jacket to his tailor to see if anything could be done and left it with the tailor. On collecting the jacket the breast pocket was repaired but protruding just a little from the rest of the jacket. On asking the tailor about this he was told, 'I've sewn in the lining of an oven glove so this won't happen again!'
RIP Smithy. Raconteur and true gentleman.