Name: Rank: Service No: Service: Date of Birth: Place of Birth: Date of Enlistment: Place of Enlistment: Trade: Marital Status: Religion: Next of Kin: Date of Death: Age at Death: Memorial: Reference:

Sources Veterans Affairs Canada

Donald Ian Smith Flying Officer J/20075 612 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force May 29, 1921 Amherst, NS September 11, 1941 Halifax, NS Bank Clerk Single Baptist Harry Walker Smith (Father) Sydney, NS December 24, 1943 22 Runnymede Memorial, UK Panel 174 Commemorated on page 214 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on April 30 Donald Ian Smith was the son of Harry W. and Ella W. Smith, of Sydney, NS. Following graduation he joined the staff of the Royal Bank of Canada at Whitney Pier and resigned his position to enlist with the RCAF. He went overseas in 1942 after training in Canada. On December 24, 1943, the Wellington aircraft in which Flying Officer Smith was a crew member left base at 11 pm on anti-submarine patrol over the Bay of Biscay and was to be away for ten hours. During the early morning hours signals were received that the aircraft was in contact with enemy surface vessels. At 6:25 am the aircraft sent out an S.O.S. Nothing more was heard from the aircraft. It is believed that it was shot down while making an attack on the enemy ships. Air-sea rescue operations were undertaken; however failed to find any survivors or wreckage of the plane.