World War II pilot Sir Alan Smith dies aged 95

Sir Alan flew many missions behind Britain’s most famous RAF man, protecting him from enemy fire.

The pilot, who was personally selected by Bader to fly with him, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1941 and a Bar the following year.

Bader was shot down and captured by enemy troops on his first mission without Sir Alan, who had been grounded due to a bout of flu.

Bader, who famously lost both his legs in a pre-war air accident, was held as a prisoner of war until the conflict’s end, although he made a number of escape attempts.

Sir Alan did not fall into the hands of the Germans and retired from the RAF in 1945 with more than 1,500 flying hours.

After the war, he settled in Kinross-shire to teach pilots and became active in the community. He chaired the Tay Foundation, securing long-term leases on salmon nets in the river estuary. Sir Alan was knighted in 1982. He died in Perth Royal Infirmary on 1 March.

He was born in South Shields in March 1917, the youngest of four sons born to Captain Alfred Smith and his wife Lilian. The couple also had an adopted daughter.

He dropped out of school at the age of 14 to help his mother after his father was lost at sea. After just a year working with her in her ironmongery store, he set up his own business selling sweets and tobacco.

Just before the start of the war, Sir Alan joined the RAF Voluntary Reserve and qualified to fly Tiger Moths.

He was called up to full-time duty with just 14 hours’ experience in the air and was flying Spitfires within the year.

Sir Alan later described his introduction to the iconic flying machine. He said: “The instructor merely pointed out the various levers, patted me on the back and said, ‘Best of luck’.”