Smiths of England Milestones Series No.8

In 1919 Capt. Ross Smith, M.C., D.F.C., A.F.C., and his brother Lieut. Keith M. Smith as Navigator, made the first England to Australia flight, a journey of nearly 12,000 miles. Both were awarded the K.B.E. for their services. The cruising speed of their Vickers-Vimy was 80 miles per hour, and its range only 1,000 miles. The first landing was made at Lyons, the next at Pisa, then Rome, Crete, and Cairo. By way of Damascus and Karachi they reached Delhi on their fourteenth day out, having flown 5,790 miles. Finally they reached Port Darwin on Dec.10, thirty days after they set out. This brilliant enterprise was made possible by the use of “Smith” Instruments and K.L.G. Sparking Plugs. So, too, were the first solo flights to Australia in 1930 by the late Miss Amy Johnson and to New Zealand in 1936 by Miss Jean Batten.

S. Smith & Sons (England) Ltd

Motor: Smiths Motor Accessories Ltd., K.L.G. Sparking Plugs Ltd., British Jaeger Instruments Ltd., Smiths Jacking Systems Ltd.
Clocks & Watches: Smiths English Clocks Ltd,., Enfield Clock Co. (London) Ltd., English Clock Systems Ltd., A.B.E.C. Ltd., British Precision Springs Ltd.
Aviation & Marine: Smiths Aircraft Instruments Ltd., Henry Hughes & Son Ltd., Marine Instruments Ltd., Furzehill Laboratories Ltd.
Industrial: Smiths Industrial Instruments Ltd., A.T. Instruments Ltd., David Harcourt Ltd.