Beschreibung:

A rare and extremely poignant Great War ace’s archive appertaining to Captain S. P. Smith, Royal Flying Corps, von Richthofen’s 76th victim, comprising Pilot’s Flying Log Book (white cover type), with title inscription, ‘S. Philip Smith Lieut., A.S.C. and R.F.C.’, with entries covering the period May to September 1916, and an Army Book 136 with ink inscription ‘Pilot’s Flying Log Book’ and Smith’s signature, this covering the period October 1916 to May 1917; official Memorial Scroll in the name of ‘Capt. Sydney Philip Smith Royal Army Service Corps (T.F.) & 46th Sqdn. Royal Air Force’, with related forwarding letter, dated 6 December 1920; Buckingham Palace letter of condolence, dated 25 January 1921; War Office forwarding letter for his 1914-15 Star, dated 12 May 1921; commission warrant for the rank of Temporary 2nd Lieutenant, A.S.C., dated 7 December 1914; a fine series of wartime letters, many handwritten but some being old typescript copies, including at least three in the recipient’s own hand to his parents, and others of an equally poignant nature, being letters of condolence from fellow squadron personnel, some trying to assist in the search for Smith’s remains; old typescript copies (2) of Smith’s record of services, as presumably assembled by his next of kin from squadron records, with details of missions flown from March 1918 until his death, and similar copies of 12 combat reports; three wartime maps, two of them with annotated trench systems and assorted wartime photographs (lot) £1200-1500 Footnote Sydney Philip Smith who was born at Aldershot in May 1895, served in the Wessex Division (Training), A.S.C. (T.F.) until joining the Royal Flying Corps. Qualifying as a pilot in June 1916, he was posted to No. 6 Squadron in France, towards the end of the year, his introduction to the operational scene proving suitably hair-raising, or certainly according to a letter he wrote home to his father on 19 October 1916 (original included in archive): ‘A letter by way of a change this time. Things have been happening with a vengeance since I returned. I daresay you heard from the aunts about some of ‘em: my observer getting a “Blighty” in the leg; fellows being blown to pieces by bombs, etc., etc. Well the day after I brought down Captain Duff wounded, I went up in the same machine on a “Shoot” with another observer, and got it in the neck properly from “Archie”: my propeller was smashed, petrol tank punctured [emptied itself all over my observer’s feet in about 2 seconds!], both main spars of the two top planes split right through, engine cowl pierced and about 27 holes in other parts of the machine. This was all from 2 practically simultaneous bursts dead over the machine, and they sounded like the crack of doom! However, we managed to struggle painfully back to the aerodrome, feeling jolly lucky that there was enough propeller left to drag us back and also that the spare petrol tank was intact [machine is still in the process of rebuilding!!] ...’ Smith claimed his first victory, an Albatross DII, over Becelaere, on 17 March 1917, but two months later he was wounded in an engagement with five enemy aircraft, an incident referred to in a letter sent to his father from 2nd Lieutenant Waight, R.F.C., dated 6 May 1917 (original included in archive): ‘He was attacked by five hostile machines, all firing as hard as they could go. Unfortunately, Phillip could not reply as both his and the Observer’s gun jammed, and were therefore helpless. Phillip did the only thing possible under the circumstances and endeavoured to out manoeuvre his opponents, which he did with wonderful skill. An unlucky shot hit Phillip in the right heel, which must have been very painful when he used the rudder controls. However he kept going until his engine was hit in the carburettor and engine bearers, which, of course, forced him to land. In spite of his wound he made a perfect landing. He was taken to the dressing station ... He is known by many offi