A fascinating Malayan Emergency Distinguished Flying Cross recipients Evaders Second World War North West Europe and Malayan Emergency Mentioned in Despatches group awarded to Flight Lieutenant T.W. Smail, Royal Air Force who saw service during the Second World War in operations post D-Day where he would be shot down during a raid on Acheres on the night of 10th/11th June 1944 subsequently evading capture and spending several weeks in Paris where one of the owners of his temporary homes was subsequently arrested by the Gestapo. Returning to England he would resume flying and would still be serving in the Royal Air Force at the time of the Malayan Emergency, being Mentioned in Despatches in the London Gazette of 8th May 1956 before subsequently also being awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross for his services in Malaya in the London Gazette of 7th September 1956. His final award would be a Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air in the London Gazette of 19th June 1961.
Group of 5: 1939-1945 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence Medal; War Medal; General Service Medal 1918-1962, GVIR 2nd type bust, 1 Clasp: Malaya; with Mention in Despatches bronze oakleaf (FLT. LT. T.W. SMAIL. R.A.F.) Mounted loose for wear, together with a ribbon for a Distinguished Flying Cross.
Condition: mounted loose for wear, toned, Good Very Fine
Thomas William Smail was born on 16th August 1923, the son and only child of Henry William Smail and Dorothy Mellor Small. He would be appointed a Pilot Officer on probation in the London Gazette of 30th March 1943, the Flying Officer on probation (war substantive) in the London Gazette of 27th July 1943.
On the night of 10th/11th June 1944 during a raid on Acheres he would be shot down in a 625 Squadron Lancaster, the pilot Flying Officer Geeson later recording:
‘It was another bad do. We lost 3 aircraft from the Squadron that night and the entire crew of both other aircraft were killed. We lost our rear gunner and various injuries to the crew.
It was one of those uncomfortable nights, everything was strange and unusual. We went in at very low altitude, presumably to concentrate again on the accuracy of the bombing. We approached the target at about 2,000 feet, had our bomb doors open and were lining up on the target. One of the night fighters managed to get underneath us.
We were hit by the first burst from him, there was not tracer used. We had Fishpond (a radar detection device) but this failed to detect the fighter and I should imagine it was then that the rear gunner was killed. Working with the mid-upper gunner I managed to carry out a corkscrew.
We weren’t very far into the manoeuvre when the whole starboard wing caught fire, it was smashed and I began to lose control of elevators. I managed to stand the aircraft upon its port wing, at about 90 degrees, even though it still had bombs on it. Thank goodness the old Lanc could take that. I reached back very hard on the wheel then there was another burst of fire, cannon probably, with tracer following us around like a hose pipe. The good old Lanc practically stalled and it missed. But when the fighter pilot saw that we were done for he wouldn’t come in with another lot, probably not so much out of consideration but that we would be shooting back. He knew there was no need to fire anymore, we were on our way down. It was utter confusion everywhere as we really were close to the ground. There was no time. It would have been pointless to operate the graviner or anything to fight the fire because the whole wing was going and my consideration was to get everyone out before the win came off, which I was fully expecting.
In fact it didn’t, the aircraft just went into a shallow dive. I don’t think the bombs were even fused, there was no question of it doing a lot of damage.
We got out of the front of the aircraft alright and mid upper gunner got out. We were never able to find out exactly what happened to the rear gunner except that he was killed. By the time I got out I had barely got time for the chute to open before I hit some trees. The trouble was we were very low. Two members of the crew, the navigator and the mid-upper became suspended in the tress, released their parachutes, fell and suffered various back injuries. The wireless operator was suffering from severe shock when he was picked up by the French and couldn’t say exactly how he got out. The bomb aimer got either shrapnel or a bullet through the calf of his leg. However, he managed to get away successfully and was never taken prisoner. The mid upper and navigator both ended up in hospital, the navigator eventually getting back to England and going back on flying again. The mid-upper was seriously lame. He did make a pretty much complete recovery but did walk with a stick. I was extremely lucky because my parachute hung in the trees for a matter of a second and then the branches gave way and I didn’t have any option whether to release or not. Fortunately I landed on a soft bushy bank and was unhurt.
The engineer was taken prisoner and was treated reasonably well once he got out of the clutches of the Hitler Youth that picked him up. He was sent to Eastern German to eventually be ‘liberated’ by the Russian army, but he had a very bad time with them, they didn’t look after them very well.’
Flying Officer Forsyth’s (a member of the same crew) Evaders report states:
‘I landed at 0110 hrs, 11 Jun 44 in the midst of a German encampment. The moment I got loose of my harness, etc. I saw three German sentries whom I shot at and ran off into the Forest de St. Germaine where I remained the rest of the night and most of the next day. About 1600hrs a boy came by, alone, whom I asked for help. He took me to another place still in the forest, brought me food, clothes and a map, and told me to go to Dreux. Around 1800hrs, 11 Jun I set out. On the road to Mantes, near Orgevale, I asked a farmer for water. He took me immediately to a woman who owned a farm nearby, who gave me medical attention and with whom I stayed until 15 Jul. I left the farm on that day going to the railroad station at Poissy where I was joined by F/O Smail. Together we went into Paris to a house where we remained 17-18 days, until the woman was arrested by the Gestapo. We then moved to a place near the Sacre Coeur with people not in the Resistance. We were there three weeks, until 24 Jul. On that day I was arrested but the police, seeing my R.A.F. disc, let me go and I stayed on with them five (?) days and back into Paris on the fifth, remaining there until the Americans arrived.’
All members of the crew were recommended for awards, however a recommendation for Smail to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross was unsuccessful on this occasion.
Smail would subsequently be promoted to Flight Lieutenant (War Substantive) in the London Gazette of 12th January 1945. His commission would be relinquished on appointment to short service commission in the Royal Air Force with the General Duties Branch.
He would be appointed a Flight Lieutenant, short service in the London Gazette of 27th February 1951, with seniority from 22nd February 1950, He would then transfer to a permanent direct commission as a Flight Lieutenant with effect from 16th August 1955, this later being confirmed in the London Gazette of 31st January 1956.
Smail would be mentioned in despatches in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in Malaya on 8th May 1956, before being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in Malaya in the London Gazette of 7th September 1956. His final decoration being a Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service ni the Air in the London Gazette of 19th June 1961. He would later retire at his own request on 29th December 1967
