Passing of a Fighter Pilot
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Passing of a Fighter Pilot
Ian Douglas Smith, former fighter pilot, farmer, husband, father, MP and Prime Minister passed away in Cape Town late yesterday afternoon.
Smith was born in 1919, in what was then Southern Rhodesia. When World War 2 broke out he volunteered for active service by joining the Royal Rhodesian Air Force. After gaining his wings, Pilot Officer Smith was seconded to the RAF flying out of Pembrey in Wales. In 1943, Smith survived a fiery crash on take-off in his Hawker Hurricane fighter. He was seriously injured and badly burned - leaving half his face paralysed for life.
After making a recovery Smith was eager to return to active service and soon converted onto the state-of-the art fighter; the Supermarine Spitfire. Smith was shot down by German anti-aircraft fire whilst attacking a railway facility in Italy in his Spitfire. He managed to bail out and parachuted behind enemy lines. He was rescued by Italian partisans. After living undercover with Italian peasants for quite some time he made it to France where the French Resistance finally got him back to England.
A true fighter who fought for what he believed in. May he now fly in the highest sky and be in peace.
Smith was born in 1919, in what was then Southern Rhodesia. When World War 2 broke out he volunteered for active service by joining the Royal Rhodesian Air Force. After gaining his wings, Pilot Officer Smith was seconded to the RAF flying out of Pembrey in Wales. In 1943, Smith survived a fiery crash on take-off in his Hawker Hurricane fighter. He was seriously injured and badly burned - leaving half his face paralysed for life.
After making a recovery Smith was eager to return to active service and soon converted onto the state-of-the art fighter; the Supermarine Spitfire. Smith was shot down by German anti-aircraft fire whilst attacking a railway facility in Italy in his Spitfire. He managed to bail out and parachuted behind enemy lines. He was rescued by Italian partisans. After living undercover with Italian peasants for quite some time he made it to France where the French Resistance finally got him back to England.
A true fighter who fought for what he believed in. May he now fly in the highest sky and be in peace.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Paarl
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History seems to be judging IDS harshly. But one thing you can't take away from him was his absolute conviction about what he saw as moral and right. He warned about the consequences of poor governance, sadly evrything he predicted came to pass...
Fly high and RIP Sir
Fly high and RIP Sir
