Virtual
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William James Smith’s Service records indicate that he was born in Berkshire, England.  He was 28 and a half at the time he enlisted in the AIF on the 19th of August 1914, as part of the first call.  His Service records do not show his birth date, but it is likely, that he was born around February 1886. At the time of enlisting, the Service record indicates that William was unmarried and worked as a labourer/ fitter. He had served as a volunteer for 4 ½ years before enlisting in the AIF (most of the men that were enlisted as part of the first call had come with prior military experience).

William James Smith was a common name in 1914, and several men sharing this name were, born in England, lived in Australia or were members of the AIF and the British Army.  Despite searches of passenger arrival records held by the National Archives of Australia, information about when William migrated to Australia has not been found.  There is little evidence of what William’s life was like before he enlisted in the AIF.

William James Smith enlisted at Morphettville in South Australia.  He was given the Service Number 112 and was assigned the rank of Private in the 10th Battalion in the C Company.  The 10th Battalion was one of the first infantry units created in Australia at the start of the war and was part of the 3rd Brigade.  The 10th Battalion was made up primarily of South Australian men, and the initial training camp was set up at Morphettville. A diary of an unknown man recorded that “Every day the men woke from their tents to the sound of a bugle at 6.00 am. The ‘parade’ took place at 7.30 am and men had to line up in three ranks and wait until their name was called.”  The diary entry also states that “the Battalion training officially commenced on the 3rd of September 1914” and that in “September 1914, there were shortages of everything in the Morphettville camp such as equipment, food, tents, uniforms, rifles… there were not enough rifles for all men, so some men had to use broomsticks in drills.”  (Virtual War Memorial Australia (Bob Kearney ‘Silent Voices of the 10th Battalion October 1914)).  The diary also indicates that on the first official parade on the 4th of September 1914, there were 1064 men in the 10th Battalion.

William, as part of the 10th Battalion, embarked from Adelaide on board the HMAT Ascanius A11 on the 20th of October 1914.  The 10th Battalion was made up of 1,023 men when it left Australia (as one troop died before ever leaving Adelaide at the training camp).  The troops caught the train from Morphettville Railway Station to Outer Harbour where the HMAT Ascanius A11 was waiting.  The Ascanius sailed via Freemantle Colombo and Ceylon and arrived in Alexandra Egypt on the 6th of December 1914.  The 3rd Brigade then travelled to a training camp in Mena. 

The 3rd Brigade had been chosen to provide the covering force for the landing at Gallipoli on the 25th of April 1915, which meant that William as part of the 10th Battalion was to be one of the first ashore at what is now known as ANZAC Cove. When the ANZAC landing occurred, the Turkish had the upper hand as they had already positioned themselves on top of the tall dunes with machine guns waiting for the arrival of the Australian and New Zealand troops. The 3rd Brigade travelled on two boats, the HMS Prince of Wales, and the destroyer HMS Foxhound, with the 10th Battalion travelling on the HMS Prince of Wales.  The troops then transferred to rowing boats that were at first towed part-way, about 50 yards from shore, by steam pinnaces.  They had to row, the remaining distance to shore. 

The 10th Battalion AIF Official War Diary from the 25th of April states that “Absolute silence was maintained by all men …[the men] rowed quietly towards the shore dawn was just breaking 04.15 no sound was heard except the splashing of the oars, we thought that our landing was to be affected quite unopposed, but when our boats were within 30 yards of the beach a rifle was fired from the hill in front of us above the beach, right in front where we were heading for, almost immediately heavy rifle and machine gun fire were opened upon us, we had to row another 15 yards or so before we reached water shallow enough to get out of our boats, this was at about 04.15.  We got out of our boats into about 3’ of water & landed on a stony bottom the stones were round& slimy &many Officers and men slipped on them & fell into the water, but all bravely &silently made all hast to reach the beach, under a perfect hail of bullets, many men fixed their bayonets before reaching the shore. I ordered men to lie down, fix bayonets & remove packs. This was done in a couple of minutes. The men of the 9th 10th & 11th Bn were all mixed up on the beach, but there was no time to reorganise so ordered all to advance.”

After the landing at ANZAC Cove, William remained at Gallipoli until he went to hospital on the 12th of October 1915, suffering from dysentery.  William likely took part in trench warfare while in Gallipoli, possibly being at the battle of Lone Pine in August 1915.  When William returned from his hospital treatment in Malta, he rejoined his unit in Serapeum in Egypt.  At this time, William was “taken on strength’ by the 50th Battalion.  

William James Smith’s service records are not completely clear about how long he was part of the 50th Battalion, he was in the 10th Battalion again later in the war (and when he was discharged from the AIF in 1920).  The Battalion Diaries for the 50th and 10th Battalions indicate that they both travelled to France, largely in the Pozieres area.  William was largely absent from the Field from late May 1916 returning to the unit in late July 1916.  During his absence, William was either in hospital, facing Court Marshals for destroying government property, being absent from the parade and drunkenness or in detention (his records indicate that he was in confinement for 27 days waiting for trial). 

In late July 1916, when William was back in the Field the 10th Battalion was on the Western Front and took part in the Battle of Pozieres.  The Battalion suffered numerous casualties during this battle.  The 50th Battalion was involved in its first major battle at Mouquet Farm, in August 1916.  For the remainder of 1916, both Battalions alternated between front-line duty and training and labouring behind the line.  William’s service records indicate that on the 14th of August, he was ‘taken on strength’ with a reference to the 13th Battalion (it is not clear if he was transferred to the 13th Battalion).  The 13th Battalion’s diary indicates this Battalion was also in the Pozieres area at this time (later travelling to Halloy, Naours Havernas and then Rubempre, engaging in bloody and deadly trench warfare).  On the 30th of August 1916, William was temporarily promoted and given the rank of Lance Corporal (with his Service Records being marked with ‘Promoted”).  He was later reduced in rank to a Private in early September 1916 (by the 10th Battalion).  His Service Records indicate that he reverted in rank at his request. 

In late 1916 ann early 1917, William again faced multiple Court Martial Proceedings followed by periods of punishment, including detention, for both ‘Drunkenness while on active Service and multiple occasions of being AWOL (absent without leave).  William then took a period of leave, returning to the Field and the 10th Battalion on the Western Front in August 1917.   

On the 2nd of September 1917 William’s records state that he was ‘detached for duty’ with the Mobile Veterinary Section (A.D.MVS).  This indicates that he was temporarily assigned for special duty away from his regular unit.  William’s service records do not indicate what division of the Mobile Veterinary Section he was detached too. The Mobile Veterinary Section would have likely provided first aid and medical care for sick or wounded horses or other animals used by the AIF including mules, donkeys and dogs.  William re-joined the 10th Battalion in the field from detachment in November 1917.

In March 1918 the 10th Battalion was in Hollebeke, facing numerous attacks from the enemy and involved in numerous intense battles. In March, April and May, the AIF fought in a series of difficult defensive battles (at Hébuterne, Dernancourt, Morlancourt, Villers-Bretonneux, Hangard Wood and Hazebrouck) helping to stop the German Spring offensive (a series of German attacks along the Western Front).  On the 14th of April, 1918 William was Wounded in Action and suffered a gunshot wound to his left ear.  The 10th Battalion diary states that the Battalion had travelled from Amiens to Hazebouck on the 13th of April and was then in position with an order to defend Hazebourck on the 14 of April 1918, when William was shot.   An injured William was sent to England and admitted into Cornelia Hospital.  His service records indicate that after his hospital stay, he was AWOL in London until he was apprehended by the military policy on 30 May 1918.  He rejoined the 10th Battalion, in August 1918 (Villeret, France). In September 1918 the 10th Battalion took part in the offensive attacks led by the British on the Hindenburg line.  On the 8th of October 1918, William was granted special leave to return to Australia. 

William’s Service records indicate that he was meant to return to Australia on the H.T Sydney.  William, however, was found as a stowaway on the H.T Somali.  He finally returned to Australia on the 25th of January 1919.  This was after the armistice, ending the war, on the 11 of November 1918.  William was discharged from the AIF on the grounds of being “Medically unfit not due to Misconduct” on the 22nd of April 1919.  At the time of his discharge, William had spent 4 years and 241 days as a Private with the AIF.   He served 4 years and 107 days of that time, overseas.

William’s service records indicate that after his time in Gallipoli, he faced Court Martial proceedings on numerous occasions for drunkenness, destruction of government property and being AWOL (absent without leave).  As punishment he received docked pay, Field penalties (Labour) and periods of detention.  

His Service Records indicate that he received three medals, The British War Medal, the 1914-1915 Star and the Victory Medal.  There is little evidence of the life that Wiliam led after he was discharged from the AIF.  As an unmarried migrant, Wiliam may not have had many loved ones in Australia worried about his absence or waiting for news about where he was.  His next of kin was not a relative, but a woman he boarded with. 

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