Major Carruthers Fanshawe Smyth

A WW2 character

By Bellamy Lafontaine

Major Carruthers Fanshawe Smyth was one of the stand out figures of the Rochford area in WWII.

He was stationed in Rebels Lane in 1940-41, and rode everywhere on his white horse, visiting the various searchlight units, of which he was in charge of.

The men manning the units hated him approaching on his white horse, for he was a perfect target for the German fighters on their way back over the channel. The men fled into the woods at his approach as the bullets from the fighters flew everywhere. He was almost deaf and never heard any of the multitude of zings of the bullets passing all around him.

The Major laughed out aloud when they told him he was risking the lives of them all and he called himself 'Lucky'.

The men were frantic and thought rather differently and called him lots of rude words and urged and implored him not to visit them when the German fighters were about, telling him in no uncertain terms to 'clear off' or similar words to that effect.

Does anyone know what became of the Major?