A BORN AIRMAN.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 15089, 11 December 1919, Page 5

A BORN AIRMAN.

HIGH PRAISE. FOR RpSS : SMITH. "SIESEBOUPvNE, Dec. -1.— i:i ßos>Smith: is a born airman, and . if . determinatioiv will do it, he will accomplish this feat 6f ; flying to AustraKa,":.^ "Said- former Lieutoimnt C. Watt, "who went' through' the same -school> as Cadet Ross-Smith. ; Mr Wait/t says- that • ICSvpaiiSii ' tloss' Smith was-.;oner of .the' nipsfc' pi?pu:lar and fribsfc| successful flight/ : tf c6mniaiider^ : m' 1 . No."'. 1: .Squadron,;: of ,?.the .A^t^aliajii. Flying Corps, , |Ie showed •.absol'tite . disregard \ for^. danger,, i; and, hi 3 .iiitrepidity' quickly. w,on : :him fame.;.,: ;!■;•:. •.,..;•.' .-. - ; "J ;VemembQr ; when;,- he ' first -went to; the 1 flying .school, and. later took .his, place.,- among the budding' pilots,"." said Mr; Watts ' c He' had;, .-not ■_ the: remotest idea, of rjyiDjg;when: he . left-. Australia; .Be wasf attached, to, the 3rdj Light Horse, iand was m the' operations' on GaJlipoli fSr.mbre than- four months,: when ;he was taken ill,, and ■ iavalided' to England^ While m: hospital •; lio fretted' to, rejoin the 3rd, aajjAitj was .not 4ong "before he was back with his lieutenancy.' . 1 . , : "Then, I believe, -he served "with a Jnachine gun squadron attached to one of (he Light Hbrsev regiments. * It was on ; h*s return to Egypt that lie developed the flying- craze, and he ,was --o.bl© t to secure hf\4 transfer as an" observer, aSid a -Really- first r class observer he .made, too, lnit ' a man of his type' Would -make good at ; anyjtliing he-vnndertook- ; Itv did : iio^ take him ion g to qualify as a piibt. '-Irif deed, he was^ ready ■ before ■ some'.^of those who -began -earlier than he did.. After - the- preliminary strtges had '-been negotiated,- Captain .Ross-Smith 'displayed, such marked^ability {lrid : confidence .that his insfcinidtoiri'Tegarded' him, as fit for.- .his.' solo -without- duftlcoh.trol. ; ' : had no serious mishaps ' to danru pen; his enthusiasm,- and it so happened that this, courageous recruit { from thb Light Horse, was the -firstf Britiflh aviator toifly! over JePusaJem.' -.He. Qiad an Rncounter with tAvo Germans poon after joirtirtg- h:.<? squadron > m .Palestane, . aaid s<:as. fortunate- to' escape with a wound, m t-hes jaw, caused' by a bu Met from a, machine gun. -• .i •-;:■.■ .•■.•'..;: ■ .: r.: ;- "At tlia.t- time he had- not learnt •-'aU -the.. tricks of the game,- but hq is aa resourceful -as '-the nejet^ 'man^'and .as British: machined- in -those 'd<iV3 ! -wero much inferibr* to those of tha enemy, he came through ihe ■'b?dea* very well. *- The bullet thstt pbthini •enteretl^jL^'jnw? on thft right: side,' 'sspla(yn(r several teeth,and a sp'lintkr pierced "his skull/. . Hd told .me., t*H«ati- if - ; he had.had •afiotQiei' .hipntli' or'two^ --a-jb- the game he would have beafcen) the \iiro bftheml" '' •' ; ■''