Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Adolphus Wilmot Smith was a Seargent who served in WW1 (1914-1919) in the 10th Battalion. He was born in Goodwood Adelaide on the 22nd of March 1895 and grew up in Adelaide, Edwardstown East. He grew up alongside his six other siblings and 2 parents, his mother, Annie Jarrett, and his father, George Jarrett who died at the age of just 33 in 1899 when he was just 3 years old. He believed in The Church of England, Christian. Upon enlistment Jarrett worked as a civil servant, working for the government, and working on clerical work and filing papers and accounts. 

On the 19th of August, 1914, Jarrett enlisted in Morphettville Adelaide and was assigned the regimental number 55. Both Adolphus and his brother Harry Elberth enrolled to WW1. Soon afater enlismtnet, Jarrett was assigned the role of a sergeant, the army would’ve noticed his resilience, leadership, and skills and assigned him to this role. In the war he would be in charge of a platoon and assigning the soldiers their daily tasks.

After completing approximately 12 weeks of training, Jarrett embarked on the HMAT A11 Ascanius on the 20th of October 1914. On the 6th of December, Jarrett disembarked from the Ascanius to Mena camp in Alexandria Egypt to complete his final training to become a soldier. In this extensive training they learned more skills and specifically the battles and contributions in Gallipoli. After their extensive training they would move off onto other boats and ships to move to Gallipoli which would take less than a couple of days.

Jarrett fought in Gallipoli in 1915 which originally started with the first ship to ANZAC cove at suspected 4:30 on the 25th of April. Jarrett was on one of the first ships and was at ANZAC Cove on the first day. He arrived with the 3rd Australian Brigade on ANZAC cove near Ari Burnu point. It was believed by the original ANZACs were convinced that they landed on the wrong beach, as the ships sailed off course. Jarrett arrived at the shallow waters and converted into a rowboat towards the shore. He would’ve had to run up to the beach in the darkness and running up to shelter and up the steep cliffs.  ANZAC cove was filled with steep cliffs, high ridges and was very hilly making it difficult for the soldiers to move up the cliffs. As Jarrett was injured on the first day (25th April), he might’ve gotten injured in the boats, running to shore, on the beach, or moving up to the cliffs. As it was early and 4:30 in the morning it was dark except for the flashes of bombs, machine guns. The covering force was asked to storm the beach all at once and storm inland gaining ground. With the first shot fried they were ordered to jump out into the water, so deep that some drowned, they struggled to make it to the shore as they were wet and heavy damp clothes, carrying heavy artillery and sodden packs. Some made a run for it, but many protected themselves with sodden packs. While moving up to the shore and the beach he would’ve carried these artillery and sodden packs. In these sodden pack included rifles, bombs, shells, and machine guns and supplies for the beach. 

Jarrett suffered from a major wound on the 25th of April 1915. He suffered a gunshot wound in his upper left arm in his humorous/funny bone. He was transferred to a hospital in Alexandria Egypt and as the wound was so bad he had to be transferred to a military Hospital in Birmingham, England to treat his wound in May 1915. He was being treated at the hospital for approximately 3 months before being discharged on the 10th July 1915.

As Jarrett couldn’t join back to war he got a job in the army training other troupes and new soldiers in training camps in England. He taught at many different training camps and schools for soldiers. He worked on command at Jallahabad Barracks School of Instruction in London and started on 10th June 1917. 

He was granted leave from 30th of October 1918 to 13th January 1919. He got 75 days of leave furlough abroad with pay in England. While Jarret was on his 75 days leave he married Grace Notley in England Weymouth at the Parish church on the 4th of November 1918. Jarrett married only 5 days after he was granted furlough leave. 

Jarret embarked from England to Australia on the 10th of May 1919. He departed on ship Wahehe to Melbourne. This was the first sail for this ship, carrying troupes and their families back to Australia.

After the war Jarrett was awarded 3 medals, the 1914-1915 star which was awarded for service in specified theatres of war between 5 August 1914 and 31 December 1915. The British war medal which was Instituted by King George V in 1919 to mark the end of World War I and record the service given. And the Victory Medal which was awarded to prescribed classes of persons who entered a theatre of war on duty between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918. Jarrett travelled back to Australia/England with Grace, but it is unknown when and if they had kids of their own. After World War 1 Jarrett joined the air force on the 8th of May 1939 at age 44 in England. He worked as an air man. Jarrett died on the 17th of July at age 86 in Solihull, West Midlands, England, United Kingdom, and cause of death is unknown.