John Jarvis-Smith | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | John Frederick Smith 15 March 1924 Streatham, London, England |
| Died | 15 May 2015 (aged 91) Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Occupation(s) | Shipbroker and oil trader |
| Known for | Second World War service |
John Frederick Jarvis-Smith DSC (15 March 1924 – 15 May 2015), born John Frederick Smith, was a British shipbroker and oil trader whose conduct during the Second World War earned him the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC).
Smith was born in south London into modest circumstances but early in life showed leadership potential and joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) in 1941. He served in landing craft during the Second World War and saw action off Sword Beach on D-Day and in Operation Infatuate where he earned his DSC after originally being mistaken for an officer killed in action who was also by the name of Smith. He later changed his surname to Jarvis-Smith.
After the war he worked in oil-trading and shipbroking and in retirement divided his time between Wiltshire and the French Riviera with his partner Roger Cave where he got to know the "Riviera set". He spent his last years in Scotland where he was active in the Conservative Party and in raising funds for charity.