Military career of Ian Smith

Was Ian Smith’s Military Service a Turning Point?

Imagine a young man from Southern Rhodesia, Roy Smith, who was eager to join the Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II despite being told to finish his studies at university. This was no ordinary student; he secretly planned and traveled to Salisbury to enlist. Little did he know that this decision would shape not only his life but also the future of Southern Rhodesia.

The Early Days in the RAF

Smith’s journey began at Initial Training Wing, where he learned to fly Tiger Moths and Harvards. He passed out with the rank of pilot officer, hoping for a posting to Britain but instead found himself in the Middle East.

No. 237 Squadron: A Crucial Chapter

Smith served in No. 237 (Rhodesia) Squadron and flew Hurricanes over the Levant, Iran, Iraq, and North Africa. His first promotion to flying officer on March 25, 1943, marked a significant milestone.

A Near-Fatal Crash

However, his aircraft malfunctioned in October 1943, causing him to crash and suffer serious facial injuries. Doctors initially thought he had broken his back but it was only buckled. A team of doctors worked extensively on him in Cairo, rebuilding his face with skin grafts and reconstructive surgery.

Rejoining the Squadron

After five months’ convalescence, Smith was passed fit for flying and rejoined No. 237 Squadron in Corsica on May 10th, resuming operational flying two days later. He was promoted to flight lieutenant and flew 10 sorties.

The Alps Adventure

On his last sortie, Smith’s aircraft was hit by flak on a second pass. He bailed out and landed on a mountain without serious injuries. A German patrol arrived at his landing site but missed him in a bush. Smith hid for a while before emerging to greet a boy named Leo, who knew no English and used sign language to communicate.

Joining the Resistance

The Zunino family took Smith in but initially kept him hidden due to the risk of Germans finding him. After a week, they gave him a room in their house. Smith worked on the farm, studied Italian, and began learning how to travel through enemy territory to reach the Allied lines.

A Journey Through Enemy Territory

After three months working with Barbetta on sabotage operations, Smith attempted to return to Allied lines in October 1944. With letters from Italian partisans, he set out across the Ligurian Alps towards southern France.

A 23-Day Trek

Along the way, he met other Allied personnel who joined him, including a Frenchman, an Austrian, and a Pole. They navigated German sentries and harsh terrain, including crossing barefoot on ice and snow before being taken in by American troops 23 days later.

The Return Home

Smith was wary of returning to Rhodesia due to automatic posting back home for missing behind enemy lines. Instead, he asked permission to go to Britain where he attended a six-week refresher course in Shropshire and was posted back to active service.

No. 130 Squadron

He joined No. 130 Squadron, flying with it on combat missions over western Germany until the European war ended. Smith spent around five months in Norway as part of the post-war occupation forces but did not learn Norwegian.

The Aftermath and Legacy

Smith was demobilised in November 1945 and sent home. The plastic surgery used to reconstruct his face following his crash left him with a lopsided appearance and partial paralysis, causing a ‘slightly blank expression.’

A Political Career

Smith entered politics in 1948 and became Deputy Prime Minister in 1962, helping form the Rhodesian Front. He declared independence for Southern Rhodesia in 1965 and became president of Zimbabwe Rhodesia in 1970, citing Britain’s blame for the situation.

Reflections on His Military Service

Journalist R.W. Johnson wrote that Smith’s war service was the central experience of his life. During talks with British Prime Minister Harold Wilson in 1966, Smith often looked out of a porthole on HMS Tiger, leading the British to believe he was intimidated or seasick.

Heroic Reputation

Smith’s war service as an RAF pilot earned him a reputation as a hero, but his actual military record was sometimes questioned. He won election victories in 1970, 1974, and 1977, and remained in office until the country became Zimbabwe Rhodesia in 1979.

Smith continued to wear his RAF Spitfire tie well into old age, including on the day before the country’s formal establishment. His military service had not only shaped his life but also influenced the political landscape of Southern Rhodesia and later Zimbabwe.