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General Information
Service(s):
Royal Australian Air Force
Service No:
402144
Rank:
Squadron Leader
Date of Birth:
30 June 1918
Place of Birth:
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Date of Death:
15 March 1943
Age at Death:
24 Years
Roll of Honour:
Second World War - No. 452 Squadron, RAAF
Prisoner of War:
No
Honours:
Distinguished Flying Cross
Service Timeline
27 May 1940
Enlisted with the Royal Australian Air Force.
Mustered as Air Crew V (P).
Aircraftman 2nd Class on Enlistment.
Posted to No. 2 Recruit Depot, RAAF.
10 Jun 1940
Posted to No. 2 Initial Training School, RAAF.
25 Jun 1940
22 Jul 1940
Remustered as Air Crew II (P).
Promoted to Leading Aircraftman.
18 Sep 1940
Posted to No. 2 Embarkation Depot, RAAF.
3 Oct 1940
Embarked at Sydney for service overseas.
25 Oct 1940
Disembarked Canada.
26 Oct 1940
Posted to No. 3 Service Flying Training School, RCAF.
24 Dec 1940
Awarded Flying Badge.
26 Jan 1941
Embarked Canada.
7 Feb 1941
Disembarked United Kingdom.
12 Feb 1941
Posted to No. 57 Operational Training Unit, RAF.
21 Apr 1941
Posted to No. 452 Squadron, RAAF.
13 Aug 1942
Disembarked at Melbourne.
Posted to No. 1 Embarkation Depot, RAAF.
4 Sep 1942
Posted to No. 452 Squadron, RAAF.
Map of Service
Award Citations
Distinguished Flying Cross
This officer has participated in 50 operational sorties since July, 1941. He has proved himself to be a first class fighter pilot and a most determined and capable flight leader. He has destroyed 5 enemy aircraft and shared in the destruction of another.
Unit: No. 452 Squadron, RAAF
Gazetted: The London Gazette, 2 December 1941
Archival Material
National Archives of Australia
| Series No. | Control Symbol | Item Title | Digitised Item | Item ID |
| A705 | 163/58/35 | THOROLD-SMITH Raymond Edward - (Squadron Leader); Service Number - 402144; File type - Casualty - Repatriation; Aircraft - Spitfire BS 231; Place - Darwin, Northern Territory; Date - 15 March 1943 |
|
1055541 |
| A8234 | 98 | Adelaide River. Area 1 (Northern Territory Memorial] Memorial to missing |
|
8326088 |
| A9300 | THOROLD-SMITH R E | THOROLD-SMITH RAYMOND EDWARD : Service Number - 402144 : Date of birth - 12 Jun 1918 : Place of birth - SYDNEY NSW : Place of enlistment - SYDNEY : Next of Kin - THOROLD-SMITH JOSEPH |
|
5241136 |
Burial Details
Memorial:
NORTHERN TERRITORY MEMORIAL
External Links
- WW2 Nominal Roll: RAAF Service
- Australian War Memorial
- Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- Virtual War Memorial Australia
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Dr. Kristen Alexander for her assistance with this profile.
Record Updated:
First Published:
New Book Release:
8 October 2023