Smith, D D (Douglas David)
Smith, D D (Douglas David)
Petty Officer Douglas David Smith was the son of David Smith, and of Hannah Jessica Smith of Exley Head, Yorkshire. He served with the Royal Navy in 891 Squadron, at H.M.S. Gannet.
On the 15th of August 1945, a young shepherd called Thomas Griffin came across a disturbing sight whilst looking after his master’s sheep. He was high on Mount Sawel,[1] around 200 feet from its summit when he came across a crashed Grumman F6F Hellcat fighter plane.[2] The body of the pilot was lying a short distance away. He was obviously deceased and had been thrown through the Cockpit screen. His parachute unused, he had been there over a week. Thomas left the scene and descended the mountain looking to alert the authorities.
Thomas informed a Sergeant Murray at Cranagh Police station of what he had discovered, and soon the Policeman and a few other constables (A. Henderson and J. Harkin) left to see what that the boy had found. The three men were experienced mountaineers and soon reached the crash site. The Sergeant sent the constables back to find out who the plane belonged too and to get help, he would remain with the airman and keep vigil. The men left, unknown to any of them it would be 18 hours before anyone would return to retrieve the body and salvage the plane.
A few days later a full military funeral was held for the officer, and he was laid to rest in Faughanvale (Saint Canice) Church of Ireland Churchyard.
The following month found 891 Squadron being disbanded. They had been training for the far east but with Japan’s surrender on the 2nd of September, they were needed no more.
Date of Death: Died 06/08/1945 (Aged 21)
Service: Petty Officer, 891 Squadron, H.M.S. Gannet, Royal Navy
Service Number: FX669326
Burial Location: Faughanvale (Saint Canice) Church of Ireland Churchyard, Grave 20.
[1] Sawel Mountain is the highest peak in the Sperrin Mountains at 678 meters, and the 8th highest in Northern Ireland.
[2] Grumman F6F Hellcat was primarily a Carrier fighter plane produced by the United States which first flew it on the 26th of June 1942, going into full service a year later.
