Francis Harmer (Frank) SMITH

SMITH, Francis Harmer

Service Number: 7306
Enlisted: 5 February 1917, Adelaide, South Australia
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 10th Infantry Battalion
Born: Richmond, Victoria, Australia, July 1888
Home Town: Adelaide, South Australia
Schooling: North Adelaide Public School, South Australia
Occupation: Painter's labourer
Died: Died of wounds, France, 30 May 1918
Cemetery: Borre British Cemetery
Plot 1, Row b, Grave No. 15. The inscription on his grave was; 'His memory is as dear to-day as the hour he went away' , Borre British Cemetery, Hazebrouck, Nord Pas de Calais, France
Memorials: Adelaide Commissioner of Public Works Roll of Honour, Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour
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World War 1 Service

5 Feb 1917: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 7306, Adelaide, South Australia
23 Jun 1917: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 7306, 10th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Borda embarkation_ship_number: A30 public_note: ''
23 Jun 1917: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 7306, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Borda, Adelaide
30 May 1918: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 7306, 10th Infantry Battalion, Merris (France)

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Biography contributed by Saint Ignatius' College

FRANCIS HARMER SMITH (1888 – 1918)

 

Francis Harmer Smith, soldier, painter’s labourer, husband and father, was born in July 1888 in Richmond, Victoria, the second son of Mr. Frank and Mrs. Agnes Smith.  He commenced his education at a young age at Miss Stack's private school, an owner operated school conducted by Miss Stack in a galvanised iron building at the back of Druids Lodge in Stanley Street, North Adelaide.  From here he progressed to North Adelaide public school until the age of fifteen.  Subsequent details pertaining to his life between the ages of fifteen to twenty are scarce, however, as Francis came from a family with some means it is thought like most boys of this time he would have attended to chores and menial tasks to help his parents keep the household running until a job came his way, which it did.

 

By the time Francis was twenty he had secured a stable job as a painter's labourer for the Public Works Department in South Australia, of which he held for seven years. By all accords he was well liked by all who knew him.  During this period of employment Francis married one Hilda May Smith and produced an heir, a daughter, Margaret Smith.

 

On the 5th of February 1917, at twenty-seven years old, Francis Smith enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) as a private.  He embarked from Adelaide on the 23rd June 1917, arriving in Liverpool, England on the 17th of September 1917.  Assigned to the 10th Infantry Battalion it is here that he commenced his training at Parkhouse Training Camp.  Parkhouse was a terminus for the AIF, housing training battalions, engineers and signallers, its Army Service Corps and Army Medical Corps.

 

On the 2nd of March 1918 Francis Smith and his Battalion re-embarked from Sutton in England to Le Havre, France to fight on the Western Front.  At this time the Germans had launched a major attack, known as Operation Michael, where their aim was to reach the Channel Ports and capture the city of Amiens severing the link between Paris and the English Channel.  Between March and April of 1918 the 10th Battalion, inclusive of Francis Smith were deployed near Hollebeke and then Meteren in Belgium, where they relentlessly defended their sector against the Germans.  By May the 10th Battalion were stationed in Merris, on the French/Belgium border, having pushed the Germans back after sustained heavy fighting. 

 

On the 29th of May, 1918 during the night a fighting patrol of the 10th Battalion with Francis Smith in its ranks pushed forward their outpost near Merris, however, the Germans were resolute in their defence and the 10th Battalion suffered heavy casualties, 8 officers and 89 ranked men were killed or wounded.  Francis Harmer Smith was one of them.

 

Private W Carter of the AIF 10th Battalion knew Francis Harmer Smith well, together they had attacked and taken a German trench at one thirty on the morning of the 30th of May at Merris, when suddenly out of nowhere Francis was shot, hit in the leg by a bullet.  Lying there besides Carter, Francis was hit again, this time in the abdomen.  He was taken to the advanced dressing station were he was pronounced dead at four am.

 

A letter was sent to his wife from the chaplain, a father H.A. Hayden, who was at the dressing station that morning, confirming that he was with Francis until he died, heard him mutter his prayers to God, resigning himself to his creator. The chaplain wrote to express the last thoughts of her husband to try and give some comfort and clarity around his death.  The letter details the expression of love Francis had for his family, where he hoped they would be comforted and well cared for, he felt that they should be strong and brave, as he would be waiting for them in a “greater and better place”.

 

Francis Harmer Smith was buried at the Borre British cemetery in Hazelbrouck, France, Plot 2, Row R, Grave 15.  He was awarded the British War medal and the Victory medal for his service in the First World War.

 

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