Correspondence from Ross to his mother while on active service during World War I [PRG 18/17] • Manuscript
Letter from Ross Smith during World War I to his mother, Aboukir, Egypt
Letter from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, during his active service during World War I. Written in Aboukir, Egypt, 7th and 8th July 2017. Mentions doing aerial gunnery part of flying training course, flying at 10,000 feet for bomb dropping training, flying stunts, and going sailing on a Sunday leave day. Also speaks of the 3rd Light Horse camped ready to move at any moment, and a list of suitable comforts which could be sent for the regiment, and the naming of the Australian Mounted Division consisting of the 3rd, 4th and 5th Light Horse Brigades.
Letter from Ross Smith during World War I to his mother, Palestine
Letter from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, during his active service during World War I. Written in Palestine. Includes a brief account of a flying mission over the enemy aerodrome at Jenin, flying patrols with co-pilot and a wingman aircraft, patrols over Jericho, a air borne chase and gun fight, engine failure at 10,000 feet over the Judean Hills behind enemy lines and a consequent side-slip landing and retrieval of the aircraft. Mentions a successful attack by the Light Horse in the Jordon Valley in early July and an amusing story relating to the 3rd Light Horse.
Letter from Ross Smith during World War I to his mother, Syria
Letter from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, during his active service during World War I. Written in Syria. Mentions flying on to Beersheeba on a bombing raid following an Turkish attack on the Australian Yeomanry, and his transfer from the 1st Light Horse Brigade to the Australian Flying Corps.
Letter from Ross Smith during World War I to his mother, Palestine
Letter from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, during his active service during World War I. Written in Palestine. Mentions difficulties of flying at higher altitude of 19,000 feet in his Bristol fighter aircraft, being awarded Captaincy and a Bar, being known as the 1st Squadron Australian Flying Corps instead of 67th and other happenings.
Letter from Ross Smith during World War I to his mother, Palestine
Letter from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, during his active service during World War I. Written in Palestine and mentions flying in the attack on Amman.
Letter from Ross Smith during World War I to his mother, Palestine
Letter from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, during his active service during World War I. Written in Palestine. Includes mentions of flying on patrols, awards, riding in a steeplchase, total of 500 hours flying time, other matters.
Letter from Ross Smith during World War I to his mother, Palestine
Letter from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, during his active service during World War I. Written in Palestine. Includes a brief account of chasing enemy aircraft in flight, an enemy rail truck fitted with an aeroplane engine and other matters.
Letter from Ross Smith during World War I to his mother, Palestine
Letter from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, during his active service during World War I. Written at the George Nungovich Egytian Hotels Co. Grand Continental Hotel, Cairo during 10 days leave. Describes brief accounts of airborne fighting, shopping in Cairo, outings, Keith doing an instructors course, and an application for leave to visit home in Australia.
Letter from Ross Smith during World War I to his mother, Palestine
Letter from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, during his active service during World War I. Written in Palestine. Mentions return from leave in Cairo and outings while there, a patrol Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee, an air fight with enemy planes, flying the more powerful 250 HP aircraft and other matters.
Letter from Ross Smith during World War I to his mother, Palestine
Letters from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, during his active service during World War I. Written in Palestine 22-25 June 2018. Ross mentions the possibility of leave time in Australia, his love of flying, and swimming at Jaffa and leisure time. Also describes a challenging air fight, flight mission over Jenin. Includes a handwritten copy of a letter sent to squadron Wing Commander written in the field on 22 June 1918 by the Squadron leader C[?]. A. Burnett Lieutenant Colonel, Commanding the Palestine Brigade RAF commending Captain Ross Smith and Lieutenants Kirk, Paul and Weir for their actions in the field.
Letter from Ross Smith during World War I to his mother, Palestine
Letter from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, during his active service during World War I. Written in Palestine. Mentions capturing and flying an enemy DSA Albatross Scout aeroplane, erection of a monument to soldiers lost in 1917 behind Turkish lines at Gaza.
Letter from Ross Smith during World War I to his mother, Palestine
Letter from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, during his active service during World War I. Written in Palestine. Ross voices concerns over being overly lauded in the newspapers for his flying during the War. Descibes his office/workshop tent catching fire that day.
Letter from Ross Smith during World War I to his mother, Palestine
Letter from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, during his active service during World War I. Written in Palestine. Describes having dinner with General Borton, who was in command of the Brigade, in Cairo. Includes mention of General Borton breaking a world record on a flight from England to Egypt with a crew of five in a Handley Page Bomber. Ross also speaks of his aeroplane, the acknowledgement of M.C D.F.C. being added after his name, leisure time spent, the brief descriptions of the fighting and signs beginning to show of winning the war.
Letter from Ross Smith during World War I to his mother, Cairo
Letter from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, during his active service during World War I. Written at the Shepheard's Hotel in Cairo. Speaks of Ross being selected to fly General Borton's Handley Page Bomber.
Letters from Ross Smith during World War I to his mother, Cairo
Letter from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, while on active service during World War I. Written at the Shepheard's Hotel in Cairo. Speaks of being selected to fly General Borton's Handley Page bomber and describes the aircraft.
Letter from Ross Smith during World War I to his mother, Palestine
Letter from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, while on active service during World War I. Written in Palestine. Speaks of being in the midst of another advance, and mounted troops having advanced up to Nazareth and Haifa. Also mentions Ross having bombed a large railway junction, bombing the aerodrome at Jenin twice, heavy overall bombing with 5 tons of bombs dropped and 20,000 rounds being directed at the enemy and taking thousands of prisoners.
Letter from Ross Smith during World War I to his father, Palestine
Letter from Ross to his father, Andrew Smith, while on active service during World War I. Written in Palestine. Speaks of sensational victories, the capture of most of the Turkish army, capturing over 2,000 square miles and over 30,000 prisoners in 3 days along with much equipment, and bombing runs over Jenin.
Letter from Ross Smith during World War I to his mother, Palestine
Letter from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, while on active service during World War I. Written in Palestine. Speaks of 42,000 prisoners captured, the Infantry breaking the front line and the Light Horse making in through and around the back of the Turkish Army. Also mentions bombing runs including bombing Jenin aerodrome twice, runs of Bristol aeroplanes and bombers all day, flight run up to Haifa, troops away up north of the Sea of Galilee, and the whole of the Turkish Army being captured in those parts.
Letter from Ross Smith during World War I to his mother, Palestine
Letter from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, while on active service during World War I. Written in Palestine. Ross speaks of being given a bar to his Distinguished Flying Cross totalling four decorations, with the Squadron earning 16 D.F.C.'s since the end of July 1918. Also mentions moving the camp to the lower slopes of Mount Carmel, and having taken over 80,000 prisoners since 19 September 1918.
Letter from Ross Smith during World War I to his mother, Palestine
Letter from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, while on active service during World War I. Written in Palestine. Ross speaks of being awarded a second bar to his Distinguished Flying Cross and the associated mission on the 19th October in his aeroplane B1229. Also mentions it being two years since joining the Squadron at Kantara and having done 800 hours of flying time, 200 as an observer and 600 as a pilot.
Letter from Ross Smith during World War I to his mother, Cairo
Letter from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, while on active service during World War I. Written at the Shepheard's Hotel, Cairo. Ross speaks of receiving the news on 11 Novemember 1918 of the end of WWI and the celebrations in Cairo. Also mentions the arrival of a new Handley Page aircraft, and a plan to fly with General Borton in his original Handley Page aeroplane on a tour of India and then on to Australia, landing somewhere in the North. Includes mention of some prisoners arriving back in Cairo. Includes a note written on the 13 November on looting of shops in Cairo, and the high cost of living in Cairo.
Letter from Ross Smith following World War I to his mother, Cairo
Letter from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, while on active service during World War I. Written at the Shepheard's Hotel, Cairo. Ross speaks of flying to Baghdad in the morning with Generals Salmond[?] and Borton in the morning in his Hanley Page aeroplane, with plans to fly to Australia in the following two months. Also mentions attending a dance that night given by the Russian Grand Duke who killed Rasputin, and the Commander in Chief visiting Cairo.
Letter from Ross Smith following World War I to his mother, Baghdad
Letter from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, while on active service during World War I. Written at the Hotel Maude, Baghdad. Ross speaks of flying from Cairo on the Friday and arriving in Baghdad the following day with Generals Salmond[?] and Borton and two mechanics in his Hanley Page aeroplane, with plans to fly to India along the Persian Gulf and down to Kerachi the following day. The departure date was then moved to the day after, the 4th December. From there Ross and General Borton would start plans to fly to Australia.
Letter from Ross Smith following World War I to his mother, Persian Gulf
Letter from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, while on active service during World War I. Written at Chabahar, Persian Gulf. Ross speaks of plans of arriving in India the following afternoon in the Handley Page bomber after flying to Karachi and two days later arriving in Delhi. Also mention of the aeroplane flying well with the Rolls Royce engines purring along for well, with the longest air time being seven hours from Damascus to Baghdad.
Letter from Ross Smith following World War I to his mother, Calcutta
Letter from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, while on active service during World War I. Written in Calcutta. Ross gives an account of his journey since the day that Turkey signed the armistice on 31 October 1918, and a detailed description of his flight from Cairo to India leading up to time spent in Calcutta on 3 January 1919.
Letter from Ross Smith following World War I to his mother, on board Royal Indian Marine Ship Minto
Letter from Ross to his mother, Jessie Smith, following active service during World War I. Written on 15 and 27 March, and 5 April 1919 at sea on board the Royal Indian Marine Ship Minto (R.I.M.S.). Mentions leaving Calcutta with General Burton and steaming down the Burma coast to Rangoon and further North, to Victoria Point in Burma and on to Penang and Singapore searching for aircraft landing positions along the way with aim of landing 350 to 400 mile distances before flying the 280 miles of open sea to Port Darwin. Speaks of possible delays to the flight to Australia due to the weather and rainy season.