Lot Essay
INDENTLieutenant Phillip James Stuart-Smith formerly of London, NW3, is shown as Lieutenant, Canadian General List September 1916. Referred to as the 'Poet' (King of Air Fighters refers), Stuart-Smith was serving with 'B' Flight of Mick Mannock's 74 Squadron when he was killed in action 8 May 1918 and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial and in 'British Jewry Book of Honour'. The Squadron history by Ira (Taffy) Jones includes Stuart-Smith in a group photograph and also states "...within a minute of the start of the fight we saw an S.E. come hurtling down, smoking badly, before bursting into flames. It passed quite near to me, but owing to the smoke I could not recognise the number on the nose. I know now it was poor old Stuart-Smith..."