Smith, Keith Macpherson Sir, 1890-1955.

Sir Keith Smith, KBE was born in Adelaide 20/12/1890 and spent his childhood at Mutooroo Station, where his father, Andrew Smith, was manager. He was educated at Queen's School North Adelaide and Warriston School, Scotland. He enlisted in July 1917 in the Royal Flying Corps and received his commission as Lieutenant at Christchurch, Oxford. He accompanied his brother the late Capt. Sir Ross Smith on the 28 days' flight by aeroplane from England to Australia Nov.-Dec. 1919 and was created KBE in recognition of the remarkable achievement. He joined the Aviation Department of Vickers in 1923. (Cf. Who's who in Australia.) Sir Ross Smith, 1892-1922 was born in Adelaide and educated in Adelaide and Scotland. During World War I he served with the AIF, then with the Australian Flying Corps, winning several decorations. After the armistice he piloted a Handley Page bomber from Cairo to Calcutta, the longest flight recorded to that date. In 1919, the Australian government offered £10,000 for an Australian manned aircraft to fly from England to Australia within 30 days. With his brother Keith as Co-pilot and sergeants J.M. Bennett & W.H. Shiers, mechanics, Sir Ross won the prize. He was killed on 13th April 1922 when his aircraft crashed on a test flight (Cf. Australian Ency.).