SMETS, Henri J.L.
Stats:
rank: F/Lstatus: survived
airforce: RAF (no: 87694 )
born: 1917-05-31 Veldhoven Netherlands
added by: Adrian Dwyer
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Bio / Text:
Henri " Flets " Smets was a pupil Pilot before Belgium was invaded. Escaping with Flying School to Oujda, he made the final leap to England - where he arrived on 5 August 1940. 'Flets' Smets joined RAFVR on 14 August 1940, and commenced his training at: 13 EFTS, 23 December 1940, 5SFTS, 2 April 1941 and 58 OTU, 14 July 1941. He was posted for flying duties at 131 Squadron on 27 August 1941.
On 17November 1941, he was transferred to the newly formed 350 (Belgian) Squadron. The Squadron diary records the following:
19/08/1942 - Dieppe: 1st mission: take off at 07.20 a.m. Above Dieppe 350 Squadron met a dozen Fw-190, resulting in a destroyed Fw-190 for the "Duke", a shared for H. Picard and E. Plas and a damaged one for L. Flohimont. H. Marchal was hit and had to bale out and was made a POW. The second sortie which took off at 11 a.m. was also successful: 3 Fw-190 destroyed (F. Venesoen, A. Boussa and R. Alexandre) and 4 and 1 shared damaged (F. Boute: 1 and 1 shared with G. Seydel and A. Boussa, R. Alexandre and the "Duke", each damaged one).The third mission at 12.20 p.m. saw a Ju-88 destroyed in co-operation by H. Smets, F. Boute, A. Plisnier and J. Van Leerberghe. The last mission of the day saw 12 Spitfires taking off at 15.15 and again the squadron were successful with 2 Fw-190 destroyed (F. Venesoen and A. Plisnier) and 4 Fw-190 and one Do-217 damaged (G. Seydel, L. Flohimont, E. Plas, R. Alexandre and J. Van Leerberghe).
29/12/1942 - S/L Y. "Duke" Du Monceau de Bergendael DFC is put on rest and transferred to HQ 81 Group. Padre Boone joins the Squadron. H. Smets and A. Plisnier becomes "A" flight and "B" flight Commanders respectively.
02/09/1943 - H. Smets is transferred to 129 (Mysore) Squadron and sees the return of F/Lt L. Collignon who takes over command of "A" flight.
After his promotion to (A)F/O, 6 July 1942, (A)F/Lt, 19 December 1942, Smets was Posted to129 Squadron on 2 September 1943. In March of 1944 he joined RAF Coningsby followed by a role at the Belgian Initial Training School as (A) S/Ldr, 14 May 1944. He Returned as (WSR)F/Lt. to 350 (Belgian) Squadron, 21 June 1944, and the following is noted in the Squadron diary:
22/06/1944 - R. Hoornaert, after a tour as "Test Pilot" joined the Squadron, accompanied by H. Smets returning from a rest. YOKE patrol, Cherbourg heavily bombed. EASY patrol. VICTOR patrol. Dusk patrol Eastern section of the beach head. [Smets is believed to be the pilot pictured second from the left, back row in the attached image. The photograph was taken in September 1944.]
16/01/1945 - H. Smets is shot down by flak south of Adenau, making him POW.
As noted above, Smets was shot down by ground fire (a peril of the fighter-bomber role) and made POW, 16January 1945. Liberated, 29 April 1945. He Joined the newly formed Belgian Air Forceafter the War and retired as Lt-Colonel, 1 July 1962.
Henri " Flets " Smets died on 15 June 1993, at Cap Martin in France.
Known awards
Knight in the Order of the Crown, Belgian Croix de Guerre 1940 with bronze Lion, 1939-1945 Star, Aircrew Medal with Clasp
Claims in combat
19/08/1942 1/4 Ju-88 Dieppe (Operation Jubilee)
On 17November 1941, he was transferred to the newly formed 350 (Belgian) Squadron. The Squadron diary records the following:
19/08/1942 - Dieppe: 1st mission: take off at 07.20 a.m. Above Dieppe 350 Squadron met a dozen Fw-190, resulting in a destroyed Fw-190 for the "Duke", a shared for H. Picard and E. Plas and a damaged one for L. Flohimont. H. Marchal was hit and had to bale out and was made a POW. The second sortie which took off at 11 a.m. was also successful: 3 Fw-190 destroyed (F. Venesoen, A. Boussa and R. Alexandre) and 4 and 1 shared damaged (F. Boute: 1 and 1 shared with G. Seydel and A. Boussa, R. Alexandre and the "Duke", each damaged one).The third mission at 12.20 p.m. saw a Ju-88 destroyed in co-operation by H. Smets, F. Boute, A. Plisnier and J. Van Leerberghe. The last mission of the day saw 12 Spitfires taking off at 15.15 and again the squadron were successful with 2 Fw-190 destroyed (F. Venesoen and A. Plisnier) and 4 Fw-190 and one Do-217 damaged (G. Seydel, L. Flohimont, E. Plas, R. Alexandre and J. Van Leerberghe).
29/12/1942 - S/L Y. "Duke" Du Monceau de Bergendael DFC is put on rest and transferred to HQ 81 Group. Padre Boone joins the Squadron. H. Smets and A. Plisnier becomes "A" flight and "B" flight Commanders respectively.
02/09/1943 - H. Smets is transferred to 129 (Mysore) Squadron and sees the return of F/Lt L. Collignon who takes over command of "A" flight.
After his promotion to (A)F/O, 6 July 1942, (A)F/Lt, 19 December 1942, Smets was Posted to129 Squadron on 2 September 1943. In March of 1944 he joined RAF Coningsby followed by a role at the Belgian Initial Training School as (A) S/Ldr, 14 May 1944. He Returned as (WSR)F/Lt. to 350 (Belgian) Squadron, 21 June 1944, and the following is noted in the Squadron diary:
22/06/1944 - R. Hoornaert, after a tour as "Test Pilot" joined the Squadron, accompanied by H. Smets returning from a rest. YOKE patrol, Cherbourg heavily bombed. EASY patrol. VICTOR patrol. Dusk patrol Eastern section of the beach head. [Smets is believed to be the pilot pictured second from the left, back row in the attached image. The photograph was taken in September 1944.]
16/01/1945 - H. Smets is shot down by flak south of Adenau, making him POW.
As noted above, Smets was shot down by ground fire (a peril of the fighter-bomber role) and made POW, 16January 1945. Liberated, 29 April 1945. He Joined the newly formed Belgian Air Forceafter the War and retired as Lt-Colonel, 1 July 1962.
Henri " Flets " Smets died on 15 June 1993, at Cap Martin in France.
Known awards
Knight in the Order of the Crown, Belgian Croix de Guerre 1940 with bronze Lion, 1939-1945 Star, Aircrew Medal with Clasp
Claims in combat
19/08/1942 1/4 Ju-88 Dieppe (Operation Jubilee)
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