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Cenotaph record

Maurice Victor Smith

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Biography for Maurice Victor Smith. RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Sm- Ty. Archives New Zealand (R17845616-0070). CC-BY 2.0.

Biography for Maurice Victor Smith. RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Pers …

Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Maurice Victor AWMM
  • Surname
    Smith AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    • WWII NZ422327 AWMM
    • WWII 422327 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    21 April 1920 AWMM Cambridge, Waikato AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    WW2 Parents: Mr & Mrs A. . V. Smith of Carterton, Wellington AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Single/WWII AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

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Military decorations

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Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
    Air Navigator/Military RNZAF Biographies (R17845616)
  • Enlistment
    WW2 4 April 1942 AWMM
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes
    Killed on Active Service, Cause of Death AWMM

Biographical information

Biographical information

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    • Maurice Smith was the son of Alfred Victor Smith, and of Ellen Jane Smith (nee Kennedy), of Carterton, New Zealand.

      Attended Wellington College (Source: RNZAF Biographies (R17845616)) AWMM
    • Pilot Officer Maurice Smith was killed on active service - 31 March 1943 - when the RAF Fleet Air Arm aircraft (782 Squadron DH86B AX844) he was a passenger in crashed on take off at RAF Base Donibristle, Scotland. He and 6 others - 2 crew and 4 passengers - were killed. One passenger - New Zealander Pilot Officer D.W Newman - survived with serious injuries.

      The details of the crash from British www.aircrewremembered.com below.

      31 March 1943 - RAF (Fleet Air Arm) DH86B AX844.
      Operation : Ministry of Information Tour (of new personnel) to visit surrounding air bases.
      RAF Base : Donibristle, Fifeshire (HMS Merlin).
      Crash Site : At RAF Base - Donibristle, Fifeshire, Scotland.

      Personnel aboard:
      (Crew) : 1 Pilot and 1 Observer
      6 passengers - 3 New Zealanders (RNZAF) and 3 Australians (RAAF) who had just completed their air training in Canada - and were in Donibristle awaiting their air operations postings.

      The 3 New Zealanders aboard were (1) Pilot Officer M.V. Smith - of Carterton, Wairarapa (2) Flying Officer (Navigator) Owen M. Shroff - of Lower Hutt, Wellington District and (3) Flying D.W. Newman - from (unknown district).

      During a Ministry of Information Tour - taking 3 RAAF (Australia) and 3 RNZAF (New Zealand) air crew around various bases whilst they waited for their postings. All 6 air crew had just arrived from Canada having completed their air training there.

      The aircraft DH86B AX844 (see image in image gallery this profile) took off at 15:21 hours (3.21pm) in what was described as gusty weather conditions - but shortly after take off the aircraft lost speed and spun into the ground - killing 7 crew and passengers - but one passenger - New Zealander Pilot Officer D.W. Newman survived with serious injuries.

      All killed in the crash - with the exception of the British (RAF FAA) Pilot - are buried at Dunfermline (Douglas Bank) Cemetery, Fife, Scotland. Public - Jenifer - Researcher - 26 September 2021 - Ref : www.aircrewremembered.com (England)
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    31 March 1943 AWMM
    Age 22 AWMM
    United Kingdom, Europe AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Killed on Active Service AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Dunfermline (Douglas Bank) Cemetery, Fifeshire, Scotland AWMM Section A, Grave 259 AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name

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Sources

Sources

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  • External links
  • References
    • Martyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press. AWMM
    • This record is a work in progress and was partially compiled from the “Database of New Zealand Airmen who took part in Advanced Air Training in Canada during WW2”. Researched by Ivan and Lorna Lindsey of Tauranga. N.Z. 2003 – 2012. Reproduced with permission. AWMM
    • Allison, D., Richards, R., & Fleet Air Arm Museum of New Zealand. (2009). Flying navy : the story of new zealanders who flew in the fleet air arm in world war i and world war ii and the roll of honour of those who died in action and on active service. Auckland [N.Z.] : Fleet Air Arm Museum of New Zealand. AWMM
    • RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Sm- Ty. Archives New Zealand (R17845616) - Former archives reference: AIR118 AWMM
    • Please note that the 12 volumes of the "RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939-1945" held at Archives NZ (formerly known as AIR118) should be used in conjunction with Errol Martyn's "For Your Tomorrow". FYT reflects detailed examination of all of the AIR118 bios which contain many inaccuracies and omissions. AWMM
    • List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Personnel Killed or Missing in Various Theatres, 1940 - 1945. [List of Killed - Officers (Canada, Pacific, Europe) - Airmen (Canada, India and Far East)]. Archives New Zealand (R17845748) AWMM
    • List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - Embarkation Lists, November 1940 - July 1942. Archives New Zealand, Wellington (R17845762). AWMM

Contributors

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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
26 September 2021JeniferWairarapaResearcher

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