Snow Swift

Today we remember Snow Swift who distinguished himself in aerial dog fights over Europe, piloting the powerful Beaufighter.

Snow Swift audio file (MP4 23 MB)

Snow Swift audio script

75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War

Audio actuality:

“Fellow Citizens, the War is over” – (The Hon J B Chifley, Prime Minister of Australia)

On the 75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War, Australia Remembers Snow Swift, who distinguished himself in aerial dog fights over Europe, piloting the powerful Beaufighter. 

But there's a side to this airman the enemy never knew.

Snow Swift

I have always had a dog since I was a little boy, so it was not strange that when I arrived in England I got, from the lost dog home in Howell, a dog that I liked to call a Yorkshire Terrier. This dog flew with me everywhere, but not on all ops. He had the rank when we left the desert, of Air Vice Desert Dog. On arrival in India, he was promoted to Air Raja Dog. Unfortunately, he died of tick fever, but I replaced dear Tiggy with a Dachshund. He was known as Smitty, and I must confess that I smuggled him back in the bomb bay of a Liberator that landed in Exmouth Gulf. He finally reached me in Sydney, sitting on the lap of a Spitfire pilot.

Saturday, August 15 marks the 75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War. Let’s pay our respects to that amazing generation of Australians.