Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Photo of JAMES HENRY SMITH – Photo extracted from graduation photograph of !st Observer Course August 16th, 1940. He and 21 other classmates out of a class of 39 were dead by 21 September 1944.

Photo of James Henry Smith – Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me

Photo of James Henry Smith – Flight Sergeant James Henry Smith

Newspaper clipping – Memorialized on the pages of the Globe and Mail. Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me.

Memorial – Flight Sergeant James Henry Smith is commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Memorial – Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Memorial – Flight Sergeant James Henry Smith is commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Grave marker – Wreath and Burial Plaque of JH Smith

Grave Marker – Photo and story courtesy of Airwar Over Denmark www.flensted.eu.com On its way to the target, Hampton P5330 of 420 Sqdn was hit by flak from Flakgruppe Küste. The pilot Sgt Jack Potter circled the area south east of Assens and attempted a crash landing at Sønderby Bjerge at 03:00 hours. The landing failed and the aircraft ended as a total wreck killing Sgt Potter, Air Observer Sgt Joe Melvin Hichs RCAF and Wop/Air Gnr. Sgt James Henry Smith RCAF while Sgt Frank George Webster Adams RCAF survived with a broken leg. He was admitted to the hospital in Assens where the German Wehrmacht later picked him up. He was sent to Dulag Luft at Oberursel for interrogation and then on to Stalag IXC at Mühlhausen, Stalag Luft VI at Heydekrug to end up in Stalag 357 Fallingbostel at the end of war. Those who died were laid to rest in Assens cemetery on 28/4 with the German Fieldpriest Vorrath from Odense officiating at the graveside ceremony.