Arthur William Smith was born in Florida in 1916, the son of Mr. and Mrs. A.E. Smith. His family nickname was “Skook” .He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1938.
Flying Officer Arthur William Smith joined the famed 242nd All Canadian Hurricane Squadran under the command of Leader Bader. (Initially he was assigned to the 141st Squadron). In a letter home he wrote, “ this is Sunday morning and everyone in the mess is sitting around reading the Sunday papers. I think if Hitler could figure out some way to stop the English from getting their tea and Sunday papers he would have them completely licked.” I had to laugh when I was last in Edinburgh. The Germans bombed a distillery (probably by accident) and burned it to the ground including about half a million gallons of whiskey and I thnk the morale of Scotland dropped about 50 per cent, for awhile at least.” While in England he married Miss Disa Elizabeth Beveridge of South Africa. The wedding took place on December 20th 1939 at St AndrewsScotland at the University Chapel. Miss Beveridge was attending University there. Her grandfather was the institution’s library benefactor. The officiating minister was in fact her grandfather, the Reverend John Beveridge, MBE, BD, Knight of the Order of St. Olaf.
In 1940 while with the 242 Squadron, Skook took part in the famed Battle of Britain. He was shot down twice, the last time on March 29 1941. ‘Skook’ was flying patrol over England when his Hurricane aircraft . The plane’s engine, the so-called super charger malfunctioned and the plane went into a spin near Bradford, St George. He was buried in the Ipswich Cemetery England.