(Note: Though a poppy does not appear on the street sign, this street is part of the City of London's "Streets of Honour" program and was named for Flying Officer Smither.)
Smither Road is named in memory of Flying Officer Ross Smither.
Ross Smither was born on 12 November 1912 in London ON. Residing on Rathgar Street, he was educated at Chesley Avenue Public School and H.B. Beal Technical High School. Upon graduation , he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force on 10 September 1930 and undertook aircrew training. In December 1939, he was commissioned and proceeded overseas in June 1940 as a Hurricane fighter pilot with 1 Squadron, RCAF (re-numbered 401 Squadron in March 1941). By July 1940, the squadron was operating out of Croydon and was heavily engaged in the Battle of Britain. On 15 September 1940, Flying Officer Ross Smither was shot down in the Staplehurst- Tunbridge Wells area while defending the south of London from German bombers. He is buried at Brookwood Military Cemetery.
