SMALLWOOD, Henry James
| Service Number: | 26512 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 5 April 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Driver |
| Last Unit: | 5th Divisional Ammunition Column |
| Born: | Leichhardt, New South Wales, Australia, 1896 |
| Home Town: | Leichhardt, Leichhardt, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Leichardt SPS1 and Sydney Technical High School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Haberfield, New South Wales, Australia, 2 October 1961, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Leichhardt Public School WW1 Honour Roll, Sydney Technical High School WW1 Roll Of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 5 Apr 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Driver, 26512, 5th Divisional Ammunition Column | |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Sep 1916: | Involvement Driver, 26512, 5th Divisional Ammunition Column, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '22' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Mashobra embarkation_ship_number: A47 public_note: '' | |
| 14 Sep 1916: | Embarked Driver, 26512, 5th Divisional Ammunition Column, HMAT Mashobra, Sydney |
Help us honour Henry James Smallwood's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Sydney Technical High School
Henry James Smallwood was born in Leichhardt, New South Wales, Australia, 1896 to mother, Marion Henry and father, Robert Smallwood. Henry, enlisted in 1916 aged only 20, leaving his parents and sister Marion at their 15 James street home in Leichardt. Henry spent his childhood around the Leichardt area, attending Leichardt SPS (Superior Public School) (1) and hanging around his parents shop. Henry’s lifelong profession as a clerk was influenced by his family, as both of his parents worked in a shop during his childhood with he and his sister following the same path as their parents with them becoming clerks and shop assistants respectively (2). Henry continued his schooling journey at Sydney Technical High School in 1915 before enlisting on the 5th of April 1916. Henry succeeded academically, receiving a Division IV prize during his junior years at Tech and another prize during his senior year at the school (3). Once he returned from his service in World War One, Henry finished his schooling at Tech and then went to work as a clerk in his parents' shop (2). His sacrifices were not forgotten by his community as he was put on a honour board from his primary school, Leichardt SPS and one at Sydney Technical High School.
Prior to his service during World War One, Henry had spent 3 years as a part of the senior cadets and 2 years as a part of the 31st infantry regiment. In early 1916, Henry travelled to Townsville, Queensland to serve in the 3rd reinforcement brigade as an army reserve until the 4th of June 1916. On the 5th of April Henry enlisted in the AIF as a driver and was accepted (4). He continued his training/service in Townville until he embarked overseas. Henry departed Australia on board the HMAT, A47, Mashobra, from Sydney on September 14th 1916, 3 months after he had enlisted. Smallwood then marched with his battalion into Plymouth on the 2nd of November 1916 to begin his active service training.
Henry James Smallwood served abroad during World War 2, first training in England. On the 17th of December 1916, Smallwood was transferred to the 3rd Artillery Division as a driver (5). 5 months later his division was sent over to France. Arriving on the 29th of May 1917, He was taken on strength with 2nd Divisional Ammunition Column on 8th June 1917.
He served in France for a period of 9 months until he was granted 2 weeks leave which he took in London. He rejoined his unit 27th March 1918.
After the war ended Smallwood worked as a plumber and decorator at 53rd High Street, Staffordshire. Henry returned to Australia aboard the Devon, arriving home on October 14th, 1919, finally being discharged on the 12th of January (6)(7).
Following his discharge, Henry finished his schooling at Sydney Tech, receiving the aforementioned second prize for his academic excellence in 1922. Once he had graduated, Henry continued his modest life as a clerk at his parents' shop in its original location, 15 James Street, before its eventual move to 187 Ramsay Road in 1943 (9). Henry married his first wife Alberta Irene Victoria Day in 1929 (10) before they split and he remarried to Catherine Veronica McGovern in 1951 (11). Henry passed in his Haberfield home on the 2nd of October 1961 aged 62 (12).
Endnotes
1. Ken Stevenson, Henry is on the Leichardt PS war memorial
2. Unknown, Australian electoral roles 1930-1933, NAA
3. Sydney Tech, 1914 Year book
4. Henry James Smallwood, Statement of service form 02/05/1916, NAA
5. Casualty-Active service form 30/07/1918, NAA
6. Australian Imperial Force, Base Records Office,Service and casualty form, NAA
7. Australian Imperial Force, Base Records Office, Disembarkment papers, NAA
8. Australian Imperial Force, Base Records Office, 9.Australian Imperial Forces Discharge papers, NAA
10. Australian Electoral Roles, 1943, NAA
Ken Stevenson, Research on Google Drive, Familial relationships timeline.
11. Ken Stevenson, Research on Google Drive, Familial relationships timeline.
12. Ken Stevenson, Research on Google Drive, Familial relationships timeline.
Bibliography
Henry James Smallwood, 1896-1961. Henry James Smallwood, Australian
Virtual War memorial records, 1914-1922. Henry James Smallwood
Google drive records compiled by Ken Stevenson, 1896-1961
Henry James Smallwood, National Archives of Australia records 1914-1920, Series B2445, Australian Imperial forces, Base records office
Henry James Smallwood, Sydney Technical High school honour board project
Henry James Smallwood, Australian war memorial, 1914-1922.