Ross Macpherson Smith

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Sir Ross Macpherson Smith KBE, MC and Bar, DFC and Two Bars, AFC (born 4 December 1892 – died 13 April 1922) was an Australian aviator, who, along with his brother, Sir Keith Macpherson Smith, became the first pilots to fly from England to Australia, (in 1919).

Both parents were born in Scotland; his father became a pastorlist in South Australia and the boys boarded in Adelaide, at Queen's School and for two years, in Scotland.

Capt. Ross Smith (left) and observer with their Bristol F.2B Fighter, in Palestine, February 1918.

He enlisted in 1914 in the 3rd Light Horse Regiment, landing at Gallipoli 13 May 1915. In 1917, he volunteered for the Australian Flying Corps. He was later twice awarded the Military Cross and the Distinguished Flying Cross three times.

In 1919, he and brother Keith, Sergeant Jim Bennett and Sergeant Wally Shiers flew from Hounslow, England, on 12 November 1919 in a Vickers Vimy, eventually landing in Darwin Australia on 10 December, taking less than 28 days, with actual flying time of 135 hours. The four men sharrd the £10,000 prize money put forward by the Australian government.

Ross Smith was killed (along with Sergeant Bennett) while testing a Vickers Viking amphibian aircraft on 13 April 1922. The bodies were transported to Australia and Smith was given a state funeral and later buried on 15 June at the North Road cemetery, Adelaide.