George Smith was born in Verwood, Saskatchewan, Canada on 22nd June 1918 and was the son of Paul and Annie Margaret Smith. Both his parents were born in Russia so I presume their surname wasn't initialy "Smith" but was changed at a later date when they became naturalised Canadians. His father was a farmer and after leaving in high school George started working on the family farm but then left in Summer 1939 to become a lineman for a telephone company. In November 1940 he returned to work on the family farm but then enlisted for RCAF service in Regina on 8th July 1941. After training in Canada he was awarded his Air Bomber's flying badge and also a commission on 4th December 1942. He was granted 21 days embarkation leave and married Audrey Jeanette Norin on 7th December 1942, in Willows, Saskatchewan. On 6th January 1943 he left Canada for service overseas and arrived in the UK nine days later. Having then trained at 22 OTU he was posted to 432 Squadron on 30th June 1943 when they were still flying Wellingtons. His service file states that on 17th September 1943 he was admitted to the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton and was described as being dangerously ill, I have not established how this came about. He later returned to 432 Squadron, possibly only on 10th December 1943 and just days before baling out of Lancaster DS832 over Danby.
F/Lt George Smith was posted to 405 Squadron PFF on 5th March 1944. He was flying in Lancaster JA976 which was shot down by a night-fighter on 27th / 28th April 1944 and died a few days later on 1st May 1944. He is buried in Webbekom Churchyard, Belgium. William Chorley's Bomber Command losses book lists him as being a DFC holder however, Hugh Halliday's research into RCAF awards has no such name listed so with graceful respect would suggest the losses book has an error. Smith was however awarded the Belgian Croix de Guerre 1940 with Palm after his death, notification appeared in the Canadian Gazette in July 1948. The Smith Lake in Saskatchewan is named in his honour.