Charles Kingsford Smith

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Records about Australian pioneer aviator Sir Charles Kingsford Smith (1897–1935) in the collection of the National Archives relate mainly to his historic flights – the loss and recovery of his aircraft, the Southern Cross, in late 1929 (including the loss of the search aircraft, Kookaburra), the establishment of the Australian National Airways in 1930 and the loss of the Southern Cloud in 1931. Records about his defence service and the honours and recognition he received are also held.

Records relating to Charles Kingsford Smith held in Canberra

Selected records held by the National Archives in Canberra are listed in the table below.

Historic flights
Title or description of record Date range Series, item number
Kingsford Smith and Ulm – Trans-Pacific flight 1925–29 A458, M314/4
Kingsford Smith and Ulm – Trans-Pacific flight – Publicity arrangements 1928 A458, M314/4 attachment 1
Kingsford Smith and Ulm – Trans-Pacific flight – Spares 1927–28 A458, M314/4 attachment 2
Kingsford Smith and Pond – flight from America to Australia 1927 A1, 1927/19970
Flight round Australia – Captain Kingsford Smith and Mr Ulm 1927 A458, W314/4
Flights – Australia to New Zealand – Kingsford Smith 1928–35 A458, AD314/4
Flights from Australia to England – Kingsford Smith and Ulm 1929–30 A458, AH314/4
Flight of Captain Kingsford Smith and Mr Ulm from Australia to England 1929–33 A2910, 406/1/121
Kingsford Smith – Ireland to America 1930–31 A458, AQ314/4
Kingsford Smith – England to Australia – solo 1930 A458, AR314/4
Kingsford Smith – Flight to England and return 1931–33 A458, BN314/4
Flight – Australia to London and return – September 1931 – Air Commodore Kingsford Smith 1931–33 A2910, 406/1/152
Sir Charles Kingsford Smith – flight to the East 1932–33 A458, CE314/4
Sir Charles Kingsford Smith – passenger flight round Australia 1933 A458, CL314/4
Flights – Sir Charles Kingsford Smith – England-Australia 1933 A458, CO314/4
Kingsford Smith, Sir Charles – Trans-Pacific flight 1934 1934–35 A461, B314/1/7
Kingsford Smith – flight to New Zealand 1935 1935 A461, C314/1/7
Sir Charles Kingsford Smith – England-Australia flight, 1935 1935–39 A461, D314/1/7

Personal information, honours and recognition
Title or description of record Date range Series, item number
First AIF service record – Charles Kingsford Smith 1915–36 B2455, Kingsford Smith Charles Edward
Charles Kingsford Smith – application for pilot's licence 1919–21 A8793, 1
Honour for Captain Kingsford Smith – awarded 18 June 1928 1928 A2926, A6
Visit of Kingsford Smith and crew of Southern Cross to Canberra – reception and general 1928 A6266, G1928/3855
Recognition of achievements of Kingsford Smith 1930–37 A461, U314/1/1
Birthday honours 1932 – Publication of 1932 A2924, 1932/1
Birthday Honours 1932 – Proposed recipients sounded as to acceptability or otherwise 1932 A2924, 1932/2
Birthday Honours 1932 – The Honourable John Alfred Northmore (Chief Justice Western Australia) recommended for Honour of Knighthood 1932 1932 A2924, 1932/3
Birthday Honours 1932 – State recommendations 1932 A2924, 1932/4
Birthday Honours 1932 – Commonwealth recommendations 1932 A2924, 1932/5
Birthday Honours 1932 – Correspondence with Secretary of State 1932 A2924, 1932/6
Aviation – Sir C Kingsford Smith 1934–37 A981, AVI 26
Kingsford Smith (in papers of RG Menzies as Attorney-General) 1935–36 CP450/7, 232
Extracts from the records of the Parliament of Australia – resolutions and speeches relating to the death of Air Commodore Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and Mr John Thompson Pethybridge 1935 A461, D314/1/7 attachment
Sir Charles Kingsford Smith – trophies and presentations 1936–46 A461, G370/1/6

The Kookaburra incident
Title or description of record Date range Series number
Appointment of Committee – Terms of Reference – 1929 Committee of Enquiry – Southern Cross and Kookaburra aeroplanes 1929 A460, A5/38
Financial – 1929–30 Committee of Enquiry – Southern Cross and Kookaburra aeroplanes 1929–30 A460, B5/38
1929 Committee of Enquiry – Southern Cross and Kookaburra aeroplanes 1929 A460, C5/38
Evidence – 1929 Committee of Enquiry – Southern Cross and Kookaburra aeroplanes 1929 A460, D5/38
Air Enquiry Committee – Legal and witnesses expenses – Southern Cross and Kookaburra aeroplanes 1929 A460, E5/38
Report – Committee of Enquiry – Southern Cross and Kookburra aeroplanes 1929 A460, G5/38
Southern Cross and Kookaburra 1935–36 A664, 415/401/62

Southern Cross and Southern Cloud
Title or description of record Date range Series number
Southern Cloud 1931 A458, AG314/1
Southern Cross 1932 A458, AN314/1
Purchase of monoplane 'Southern Cross' from Sir Charles Kingsford Smith 1935–44 A432, 1935/1295
The Southern Cross – acquisition of for National Museum 1935–48 A461, C370/1/2

Australian National Airways
Title or description of record Date range Series number
Australian National Airways – subsidy 1931–32 A458, AE314/1
Australian National Airways – experimental air mail flight – Australia-England-Australia 1931–32 A458, V314/3
Agreement with Australian National Airways in conveyance of mail between Melbourne and Hobart 1931 A432, 1931/1084
Request for financial assistance by Australian National Airways 1931 A6006, 1931/06/24

Other sources
Title or description of record Date range Series number
Geraldton-Derby route – maintenance file 1922–23 A705, 7/54/119
The Story of the Southern Cross Trans Pacific Flight 1928 by Charles Edward Kingsford Smith and Charles Thomas Philippe Ulm (registration for copyright) 1928 A1336, 18119
Log Books of the Southern Cross by Charles Edward Kingsford Smith and Charles Thomas Philippe Ulm (registration for copyright) 1931 A1336, 21651
Sir Charles Kingsford Smith desirous of using name 'Anzac' for centenary race aeroplane 1934 A664, 507/401/401
MacRobertson International Air Race part I 1933–34 A461, G314/1/7 part 1
MacRobertson International Air Race part II 1934–35 A461, G314/1/7 part 2

Other sources of information relating to Charles Kingsford Smith

Personal records and other memorabilia of Kingsford Smith are held by a number of collecting institutions, including: