John Christopher Smart Sergeant R/287355 Royal Canadian Air Force May 12, 1926 Toronto, Ontario November 12, 1943 Toronto, Ontario Humber Bay, Ontario 17 5 feet, 6½ inches Medium Blue Dark Single Truck Driver Anglican Amy Beatrice Smart (Mother) December 18, 1944 18 Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, UK 56. B. 2.

Name: Rank: Service No: Service: Date of Birth: Place of Birth: Date of Enlistment: Place of Enlistment: Address at Enlistment Age at Enlistment: Height: Complexion: Eye Colour: Hair Colour: Marital Status: Trade: Religion: Next of Kin: Date of Death: Age at Death: Cemetery: Grave Reference:

Canadian Virtual War Memorial

John Christopher Smart was the son of Henry Fred Smart and Amy Beatrice (Watson) Smart of Humber Bay, Ontario. He attended Humber Bay Public School between 1935 and 1940, completing grade seven. He worked at odd jobs until 1942 when he was employed by the Massey Harris Company. In 1943, he joined the Merchant Navy, employed by the Canada Steamship Company and the Norwegian Shipping Trade serving at sea as saloon boy. Determined as under age, he left that employment and immediately prior to enlistment with the RCAF in November of 1943 was working as a truck driver. John also served as a drummer in the Sea Cadets. Having trained in Canada and receiving his Air Gunner Badge on June 16, 1944 he embarked Halifax on August 3, 1944, and disembarked in the United Kingdom on August 10, 1944. He was assigned to No. 22 OTU (Operational Training Unit) on September 19, 1944. On December 18, 1944, Wellington aircraft MK.X NC.494, with a crew of six, including John Smart as Air Gunner, departed RAF Station Wellesbourne, Mountford for non-operational night exercise. The aircraft crashed near Northampton with the loss of all crew members. Sergeant Smart was buried at the Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, UK, on December 22, 1944.