SMITH, Alfred Joseph
| Service Numbers: | 3135, S41511 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 29 September 1916, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | Lines of Communication Units |
| Born: | Yatta Creek, South Australia, 1 August 1894 |
| Home Town: | Gawler, Gawler, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farmer/Farrier |
| Died: | Natural causes (stroke), Beulah Park, South Australia, 1 April 1945, aged 50 years |
| Cemetery: |
West Terrace Cemetery (AIF Section) Section: KO, Road: 15, Site No: 14 |
| Memorials: | Gawler Baptist Church WW1 Honour Roll, Gawler Council Gawler Men Who Answered the Call WW1 Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 29 Sep 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3135, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Feb 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3135, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Clan MacCorquodale embarkation_ship_number: A6 public_note: '' | |
| 5 Feb 1917: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3135, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Clan MacCorquodale, Adelaide |
World War 2 Service
| 11 Jun 1942: | Enlisted Private, S41511, Kensington, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Jun 1944: | Promoted Sergeant, Lines of Communication Units, Acting Sergeant |
Discovered letters
Early in January 2023 - a Mrs Brenda Hancock of Flinders Park SA contacted Paul Lemar via Face Book (Paul is Grandson of Alf). Brenda advised she had come across some old letters from Alf to Ivy - a relative of hers. It was known that Ivy would write to family friends overseas during WW1. The letters have been supplied and Brenda has transcribed the contents. A photograph was also included. Paul has been able to advise it is not a picture of Alfred - so presumably a friend (wearing uniform of a Light Horseman). Efforts will be made to find out whom it is.
Thank you Brenda for contacting the family and providing the letters.
Paul Lemar
RSL Macclesfield
Feb 2023
Submitted 4 February 2023 by Paul Lemar
1951 DAYS IN KHAKI
TROOPER ALFRED JOSEPH SMITH
D.O.B: 1st August 1894.
DIED: 1st April 1945
3RD LIGHT HORSE – 24th REINFORCEMENT
SERVICE NUMBER: 3135
Trooper Smith was in the Senior Cadet Service in 1911 training area 80C in Gawler SA & the Citizens Military Forces 79th Infantry from the 22nd of February 1912 through to the 30th of June 1915 where he was moved to B Squadron – No 303.
He joined the 23rd Australian Light Horse AMF Unit C Squadron on the 30th of June 1916, from here he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on the 29th of September 1916. He was allotted number 3135 and was taken on strength on the 4th of October 1916 serving with the 3rd Light Horse 24th reinforcement.
Tpr Smith embarked Adelaide on the ship HMAT “Clan MacCorquodale” on the 5th of February 1917 and disembarked the 12th of March 1917 in Suez where he was marched into isolation Camp Moascar. He was taken on strength on the 26th of March 1917 and joined the 1st Light Horse Training Regiment. On the 26th of May 1917 Pte Smith rejoined the 1st Light Horse Training Regiment from the School of Instruction where on the 5th of June 1917 he transferred to the 3rd Light Horse Regiment and was taken on strength on the 9th of June 1917.
During his time of active service he saw action in
Palestine 26th March – 31st October 1918
Beersheeba 27th October – 7th November 1917
El Mughar 8th November 1917
Nebi Samwill 17th November – 24th November 1917
Jer 7th December – 30th December 1917
Jaffa 21st December – 22nd December 1917
Jericho 19th February – 21st February 1918
Jordan 24th March – 4th May 1918
Amman 27th March – 30th March 1918
Trp Smith disembarked from Pt Said on the “H.T Dorset” for Australia on the 23rd of April 1919
He served for: Total effective period of 930 days
Active service in Australia 124 days
Active service overseas 806 days
AWARDED FOR SERVICE DURING THE 1ST WORLD WAR
British War Medal
Awarded for 28 days service or loss of life during action.
Victory Medal
Issued to all those with either the 1914-1915 Star or British War Medal or both, but never on its own
ACTING SERGEANT ALFRED JOSEPH SMITH
4 LINES OF COMMUNICATION SIGNALS (PMG)
SERVICE NUMBER: S41511
Acting Sergeant Alfred Smith enlisted at Kensington SA on the 11th of June 1942.
He was allotted the service of S41511 and was taken on strength for part time duty on the 16th of June 1942 serving with the 4 Australian Line of Communications Signals, which was raised in May of 1942 with the rank of Signaller.
Acting Sergeant Alfred Smith was promoted to T Corporal on the 16th of July 1942
Promoted to Acting Sergeant on the 4th of August 1942.
Acting Sergeant Alfred Smith died at work in service on the 1st of April 1945.
He served for: Total effective period of 1021 days
During this time, his Army records indicate that he attended home training for 15 full days but was in full time service with his Unit which itself was incorporated within the PMG for the duration of the War.
AWARDED FOR SERVICE DURING THE 2nd WORLD WAR 1939-1945
Australian Service Medal 1939-45
Awarded for 30 days full time service or 90 days part time service at home or overseas in the Australian Armed forces between 3rd September 1939 and 2nd September 1945
Submitted 8 January 2016 by Paul Lemar
Biography
ALFRED JOSEPH SMITH born 1st August 1894 Wards Belt, near Gawler SA.
Alfred Smith was in the Senior Cadet Service in 1911 training area 80C in Gawler SA & the Citizens Military Forces 79th Infantry from the 22nd of February 1912 through to the 30th of June 1915 where he was moved to B Squadron – No 303.
He joined the 23rd Australian Light Horse AMF Unit C Squadron on the 30th of June 1916, from here he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force as a Trooper on the 29th of September 1916. He was allotted number 3135 and was taken on strength on the 4th of October 1916 serving with the 3rd Light Horse 24th reinforcement.
Alfred embarked Adelaide on the ship HMAT “Clan MacCorquodale” on the 5th of February 1917 and disembarked the 12th of March 1917 in Suez where he was marched into isolation Camp Moascar. He was taken on strength on the 26th of March 1917 and joined the 1st Light Horse Training Regiment. On the 26th of May 1917 Pte Smith rejoined the 1st Light Horse Training Regiment from the School of Instruction where on the 5th of June 1917 he transferred to the 3rd Light Horse Regiment and was taken on strength on the 9th of June 1917. During his time of active service he saw action in Palestine, Beersheeba, El Mughar, Nebi Samwill, Jer, Jaffa, Jericho, Jordan and Amman.
He disembarked from Pt Said on the “H.T Dorset” for Australia on the 23rd of April 1919.
Alfred served for a Total effective period of 930 days which consisted of 124 days Active service in Australia and 806 days Active service overseas. He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
On the 4th November 1920 Alfred applied for blocks of land under the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act. He was granted blocks for mixed farming on the soldiers settlement at Waikerie on the 22nd July 1925.
He married Ruth Alexandra BAMBLETT 26th May 1925 Church of St James, Waikerie SA. Ruth was the daughter of Thomas BAMBLETT and Minnie Marie HUGGETT and was born 9th August 1902, Thatch Cottage, Oxford Rd Sevenoaks, Kent England. She arrived in Pt Pirrie SA on the 13th April 1913 on the ‘SS Narung”, with her mother and sister Grace after the death of her father in January 1907.
They moved around constantly early in their marriage due to Alfred’s work as a linesman with PNG. They lived in Macclesfield SA 1925 and early 1926, Victor Harbor SA in May 1926, Mt Barker, Meadows and Strathalbyn. They then settled at 3 Duke St Beulah Park SA. They then resided at 165 Beulah Road, Norwood SA. Alfred was a member of the Emulation Lewis Masonic Lodge at Norwood for twelve years.
Alfred enlisted at Kensington SA on the 11th of June 1942 into the AMF. He was allotted the service number of S41511 and was taken on strength for part time duty on the 16th of June 1942 serving with the 4 Australian Line of Communications Signals, which was raised in May of 1942 with the rank of Signaller. He was promoted to T/Corporal on the 16th of July 1942 and Acting Sergeant on the 4th of August 1942.
Acting Sergeant Alfred Smith died at work in service on the 11th of April 1945 at Beulah Park SA from a Cerebral Haemorhage.
He served for a Total effective period of 1021 days. During this time, his Army records indicate that he attended home training for 15 full days but was in full time service with his Unit which itself was incorporated within the PMG for the duration of the War. He was awarded the Australian Service Medal 1939-45
At the time of his death his son was serving in Canada with the RAAF and his daughter was in her third year at Norwood High School.
Ruth worked until 1963. In 1980 Ruth moved into a unit a Linden Park SA. In April 1988 due to her age and health she moved into the Clayton Rest Home and consequently the Clayton Nursing Home in 1990. Ruth died 8th October 1990 Clayton Nursing Home, Norwood SA of Ischaemic Heart Disease, Hypertension, Hypostatic Pneumonia and Osteoarthritis.
Her funeral service was held at the Charles Berry’s Magill Rd Norwood SA and conducted by Rev D.G Haydon. She was cremated in the Centennial Park Crematorium on the 10 October 1990 and the funeral director was D.L Bowden. She is interned with sister Grace at Strathalbyn.
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