SMITH, Michael Ernest
| Service Number: | 4530 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 January 1916, Enlisted at Casula |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 19th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Nymagee, New South Wales, Australia, 3 April 1893 |
| Home Town: | Nymagee, Cobar, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Tram Cleaner |
| Died: | Drowning-died in the sinking of the RMS Leinster, Irish Sea, Irish Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, 10 October 1918, aged 25 years |
| Cemetery: |
Grangegorman Military Cemetery Grave Aust. RC. 3., Grangegorman Military Cemetery, Grangegorman, Dublin, Ireland |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Cobar War Memorial, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Rockdale Municipal Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4530, Enlisted at Casula | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Apr 1916: | Involvement Private, 4530, 19th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Nestor embarkation_ship_number: A71 public_note: '' | |
| 9 Apr 1916: | Embarked Private, 4530, 19th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Nestor, Sydney | |
| 14 Nov 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 4530, 19th Infantry Battalion, Wounded by Shrapnel to his right arm. Admitted to 45th Casualty Clearing Station, the Ambulance Train, the 6th General Hospital at Rouen and the 2nd Convalescent Depot. Rejoined his Battalion on 25th December 1916. |
Help us honour Michael Ernest Smith's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
He was 25 and the son of James and Margaret Smith, of Mulgawarrina St., Coolabah, New South Wales.
He is one of six Australian born soldiers of the Great War who perished in the sinking by torpedo from a German U-Boat of the RMS Leinster. The bodies of 5 were recovered.
Biography contributed by John Oakes
Michael Ernest SMITH (Service Number 4530) was born on 3rd April 1893 at Nymagee in North-West New South Wales.. He first worked for the NSW Tramways as a cleaner of electric tams at the Ultimo Depot from 7th December 1911. In 1912 he moved to Tempe Depot, then back to Ultimo. In 1913 he moved to Sydney He enlisted with the AIF at Casula on 22nd January 1916.
He named his father, James Smith of Dyo Station via Cobar as his next of kin. He was allotted to the 11th Reinforcements to the 19th Battalion he embarked HMAT ‘Nestor’ at Sydney on 9th April 1916. He reached Alexandria and there transferred to HMT ‘Megantic’ on 29th May for passage to Plymouth where he arrived 7th June . He was attached to the 5th Training Battalion until September when he proceeded overseas to France. He was taken on strength of the 19th Battalion on 20th September. In October he went to the Stokes Mortar School for a week.
On 14th November he was wounded by shrapnel to his right arm. This resulted in admission to the 45th Casualty Clearing Station, the Ambulance Train, the 6th General Hospital at Rouen and the 2nd Convalescent Depot. He did not re-join his Battalion until 25th December. In early September he had leave in England. He attended Gas School at the end of April 1918. He had further leave in the UK from 26th September 1918. During this leave he visited Ireland. he was returning to the UK on board the RMS ‘Leinster’ when that ship was torpedoed just outside Dublin. It sank with the loss of more than 500 lives on 10th October 1918. Smith’s body was recovered, and he is buried in Grange Gorman Military Cemetery, Dublin, Ireland.
‘The deceased soldier was accorded a full military funeral, firing party, bugler, band, and pallbearers being in attendance. The coffin (of good polished Elm) was draped with the Union Jack and conveyed to the graveside where the “Last Post” was sounded. A procession about half a mile long followed the remains to the graveside. Australian Headquarters. A.I.F. London were represented at the funeral. The grave will be turfed and an oak cross erected by the A.I.F. London.’
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.
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