Raymond Thorold-Smith

Raymond Thorold-Smith, DFC (30 June 1918 – 15 March 1943) was an Australian flying ace who served in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) during the Second World War. He was credited with having shot down at least six aircraft.

From Manly, Thorold-Smith was a university student at the time he joined the RAAF in 1940. Once his flight training was completed, he was sent to the United Kingdom. Posted to No. 452 Squadron in April 1941, he flew intensively on sorties to German-occupied France during the Circus offensive, during which he destroyed a number of German aircraft. By the end of the year, he had been promoted to flight lieutenant and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. In March 1942, he was appointed commander of the squadron and later led it to back to Australia, where it formed part of No. 1 Fighter Wing at Darwin. In March 1943, he failed to return from a sortie to intercept Japanese bombers attacking Darwin and was presumed to have been killed.