Captain Sydney Philip Smith was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories. Sydney Philip Smith was born at Aldershot in May 1895. Educated at King's College School, Wimbledon, he joined the OTC and was reportedly a crack shot, captaining his school rifle team at the annual schools competition at Bisley. He enlisted at the outbreak of war in the Public Schools Battalion, before being commissioned as a Temporary 2nd Lieutenant of the Royal Army Service Corps in December 1914. After initial service with the Army Service Corps, Smith served with the Wessex Division (Training) and going to France in March 1915. He was posted to the Royal Flying Corps in early 1916. He qualified as a pilot on 24 May 1916. He then in June served as a pilot flying the Royal Aircraft Factory BE 2