Reginald Hannam Smart
Memorial: Warmley - Memorial Gardens - Stanley Road
Regiment: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Medals: 1939–45 Star, Air Crew Europe Star, War Medal 1939–1945
Rank and number: Flying Officer
Parents: Edward Hannam and Ada Emily Smart
Home address: Station House, London Road Warmley
Pre-war occupation: Engineers Clerk
Date of birth: 27/11/1922
Date of death: 31/03/1944
Buried/Commemorated at: No known burial site but Commemorated at Runnymede Memorial and Warmley War Memorial
Age: 21
Further information:
On the day of his death Reginald was the navigator on Lancaster Bomber ND622. The aircraft took off from RAF East Kirkby Lincolnshire on a night bombing raid of Nuremberg Germany. Just short of the target area, his aircraft was intercepted and shot down by a German night fighter over Bamberg. Of the crew of eight, 4 died including Reginald and the 3 others who managed to bail out were taken prisoners of war. The night of March 31st was the night of heaviest aircraft losses in the whole of the war with 96 planes failing to return.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
This information has been provided by Sarah Hands, Volunteer Researcher for the South Gloucestershire War Memorials Web Site.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
https://www.cwgc.org/
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/
https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/smart-rh/
https://www.backtonormandy.org/component/mtree/air-force-operations/airplanes-allies-and-axis-lost/lancaster/25326-ND6221944-03-01.html