I had the privilege of meeting Smoky Smith at Vimy Ridge in November, 1994 and had my picture taken with him.

Smoky was not simply a guy who couldn't get shot. Nor was he in love with battle, as I suspect Skorzeny was. He was an ordinary man who was able to achieve something extraordinary by combining two rare qualities: the ability to think clearly under the threat of imminent death and the courage to do what was necessary.

All soldiers are expected to place their duty before themselves, but not many are called upon (or are able)to do so in the face of such overwhelming danger.

We live in a world in which Adolf Hitler died like a rat in his bunker, with everything he had lived for in ruins. Smoky Smith played his part in achieving that.

Edmund