Harold Thompson SMITH

Regimental number509
Place of birthNorth Melbourne, Victoria
SchoolState School No 583, South Yarra, Victoria
Other trainingWorking Man's College
ReligionPresbyterian
OccupationWarehouseman
Address17 Donald Street, Prahran, Victoria
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation18
Height5' 10.5"
Weight161 lbs
Next of kinFather, D Smith, 17 Donald Street, Prahran, Victoria
Previous military serviceServed for 3 years in the Citizen Military Forces; member of 7th Field Company Engineers since July 1914.
Enlistment date22 March 1915
Place of enlistmentMelbourne, Victoria
Unit name24th Battalion, B Company
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/41/1
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A14 Euripides on 10 May 1915
Regimental number from Nominal Roll4474
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll8th Field Company Engineers
FateKilled in Action 19 July 1916
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsV.C. Corner (Panel No 1), Australian Cemetery, Fromelles, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
25
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: David and Elizabeth SMITH, 17 Donald Street, Prahran, Victoria
Family/military connectionsBrother: 20345 Driver Arthur Leming SMITH, 8th Field Artillery Brigade, returned to Australia, 11 May 1919.
Other details

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front

Appointed Lance Corporal, Gallipoli, 16 August 1915.

Disembarked Alexandria, 9 January 1916 (general Gallipoli evacuation).

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 17 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 25 June 1916.

Killed in action, 19 July 1916.

Note on file: 'O.C. 5th Div. Engineers, states that "No. 4474, L/Cpl. Smith, R.T., was killed on the night of 19th-20th July 1916. during the attack on the German lines at Frouvilles. He was digging a C.T. across No Man's Land, when he was sniped through the head, death taking place almost instantaneously. Owing to our retirement in the early hours of July 20th, his body, which was lying near the enemy's lines, was not recovered."'

Note, Red Cross File No 2550507: 'Killed in action 19-7-16[.] Cert. by German death list dated 4-11-16.'

Note on file: 'No trace Germany[.] Cert. by Capt. Mills 10-10-19'.

Copy of Death Voucher: 'Australian soldier, Smith, Harold Thompson, 4474, 8th Field Coy. Engineers fell on 19/7/16. in the neighbourhood of Fromelles.'

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, SMITH Harold Thompson