SMITH, Walter Charles
| Service Number: | 5764 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 25 January 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Adelaide, South Australia, 9 January 1882 |
| Home Town: | Wilberforce, Hawkesbury, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Wilberforce Public School, New South Wales |
| Occupation: | Fruit Grower |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, 5 October 1917, aged 35 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 29 Jun 1915: | Embarked 25th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Aeneas, Brisbane | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Jun 1915: | Involvement 25th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: '' | |
| 25 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5764 | |
| 3 Jun 1916: | Involvement Private, 5764, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Kyarra embarkation_ship_number: A55 public_note: '' | |
| 3 Jun 1916: | Embarked Private, 5764, 2nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Kyarra, Sydney | |
| 9 Apr 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 2nd Infantry Battalion | |
| 28 Apr 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 2nd Infantry Battalion | |
| 27 Sep 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 2nd Infantry Battalion | |
| 5 Oct 1917: | Involvement Sergeant, 5764, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 5764 awm_unit: 2 Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1917-10-05 |
Help us honour Walter Charles Smith's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Julianne Ryan
Born Walter Charles SMITH, 9th January 1882, in Adelaide, South Australia
(SA Births 1842 - 1906 Book: 274 Page: 135 District: Ade.)
Father Walter SMITH and Mother Eliza Gregory (nee Smith, nee COULTER).
Wife: Bathia Smith, lived together at Wilberforce, near Windsor, NSW.
Son: Walter Thomas Smith
Next of kin in service: (brother)
3227 Private Albert Edward Smith, 4th Infantry Battalion
17/07/1915 enlisted
embarked
12/05/1916 killed in action, Armentieres, France
buried in: Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Plot I, Row J, Grave 55
Walter's Previous service: 1.5 years South Africa; 9 years 3rd AIR (time expired)
Walter was described as 34 years of age; married; 5' 9 3/4" tall; 150 lbs;
dark complexion; brown eyes; brown hair; Church of England
15/02/1916 enlisted at Casula Camp, NSW
03/06/1916 embarked Sydney NSW, onboard
as a Private with
03/08/1916 disembarked into Plymouth, England
7th Camp, Perham Downs - 1st Training Battalion
22/09/1916 admitted to hospital - mumps
13/10/1916 1st Training Battalion
13/12/1916 proceeded overseas to France onboard S Arundel, ex Folkestone
14/12/1916 marched into 1st Australian Depot Base, Etaples, France
18/12/1916 taken on strength 2nd Battalion, France
09/04/1917 promoted to Lance Corporal 2nd Infantry Battalion, France
28/04/1917 promoted to Corporal 2nd Infantry Battalion, France
27/09/1917 promoted to Sergeant 2nd Infantry Battalion, France
05/10/1917 killed in action, Belgium
03/11/1917 stated - buried by 5th Pioneer Battalion
Sadly due to continual shelling throughout the area, his grave was not relocatable.
Walter's name is commemorated on:
- The Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ypres, Belgium - Bay 7, Stone H
- Panel 34 at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, ACT
Medals: British War medal (42223), Victory medal (41774)
Memorial Plaque and Scroll (334461)
Submitted by Julianne T Ryan. 19/02/2017. Lest we forget.