The AIF Project

William James SMITH

Regimental number1054
Place of birthPort Melbourne, Victoria
SchoolYarragon State School, Victoria
ReligionRoman Catholic
OccupationTimber worker
AddressNo 1 Mill, Manjinup, Western Australia
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation27
Height5' 7"
Weight159 lbs
Next of kinFather, John Smith, 55 Brighton Street, Richmond, Melbourne, Victoria
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date8 May 1915
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll3 May 1915
Place of enlistmentPerth, Western Australia
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name32nd Battalion, C Company
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/49/1
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A2 Geelong on 18 November 1915
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll32nd Battalion
FateKilled in Action 19 July 1916
Place of death or woundingFleurbaix, France
Age at death27
Age at death from cemetery records27
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsV.C. Corner (Panel No 6), Australian Cemetery, Fromelles, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
121
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: John and Catherine SMITH, 36 Tanner Street, Richmond, Victoria. Native of Port Melbourne
Family/military connectionsBrother: 1696 Pte George Stoddart SMITH, 5th Bn, killed in action, 9 August 1915.
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Disembarked Suez, ex-HMAT 'Geelong', 18 December 1915.

Admitted to D.B.I., Abbassia, 28 December 1915 (venereal); discharged, 14 January 1916; rejoined 32nd Bn, Tel el Kebir, from 8th Training Bn, Zeitoun, 20 February 1916.

Found guilty, 5 May 1916, of being absent from parade at 1600 hours: awarded 7 days' confined to camp.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 17 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916.

Killed in action, 19 July 1916.

Statement, Red Cross File No 2570603, 472 Pte J.F. DAVIS, 32nd Bn (patient, No 14 General Hospital, Bouogne), 24 July 1916: 'Smith was killed in the German second line in the advance of July 19th, South of Armentieres. He was killed by a shell and fell in the trench which was flooded, and went under. We had to leave that line on the morning of the 20th, and Smith will pretty well be reported missing.'

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, SMITH William James
Red Cross file 2570603

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