Doing our bit, Mosman 1914-1918 -- Charles Edward Kingsford-Smith

confirmed

Born: 9 February 1897

Died: 8 November 1935

An electrical engineer who enlisted in the AIF on 10 February 1915, the day after his 18th birthday. He embarked for Egypt on 31 May with the 4th Australian Light Horse Brigade Signal Troop.

He served at Gallipoli from September 1915 then returned to Egypt after the evacuation. He was transferred on 9 March 1916 to the newly formed 4th Australian Division Signals Squadron which arrived at Marseilles, France on 8 June 1916 and immediately moved to Bailleul in northern France.

On 29 October, he transferred to the Australian Flying Corps. He commenced officer training at Exeter, England on 26 January. He was discharged from the AIF on 16 March 1917 then appointed a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps (RFC).

He was wounded (foot) in action on 14 August 1917 and evacuated to hospital in England for treatment and convalescence. He was awarded the Military Cross, the citation for which was as follows:

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He has himself brought down four machines during his first month at the front, and has done most valuable work in attacking ground targets and hostile balloons. Of the latter he forced at least nine to be hauled down by his persistent attacks, during which he was repeatedly attacked himself by large hostile formations, and his efforts undoubtedly stopped all hostile balloon observation during a critical period. His efforts and fine offensive spirit and disregard for danger have set a very fine example." (Supplement to the London Gazette, 9 January 1918, p643)

He returned to his parents' home at Mosman in March 1918 to further convalesce. He embarked for England on 5 June and arrived in late July. In April he had been transferred to the newly established Royal Air Force (RAF) and resumed duties as an instructor. He was placed on the "unemployed" list of the RAF on 29 June 1919.

He went on to have an internationally renowned life as an aviator until his premature death in a plane crash in the Andaman Sea off the coast of Myanmar in 1935. [JSB]