SMITH, John Uwins
| Service Number: | 2668 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 24 June 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 51st Infantry Battalion (WW1) |
| Born: | Ballarat East, Victoria, Australia, 1893 |
| Home Town: | Cue, Cue, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Gravel Hill School, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Bootmaker |
| Died: | Killed in action, Mouquet Farm, France, 3 September 1916 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Kings Park Western Australia State War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 24 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2668, 11th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Sep 1915: | Involvement Private, 2668, 11th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Anchises embarkation_ship_number: A68 public_note: '' | |
| 2 Sep 1915: | Embarked Private, 2668, 11th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Anchises, Fremantle | |
| 29 Jul 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 51st Infantry Battalion (WW1) | |
| 18 Aug 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 51st Infantry Battalion (WW1) |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
John Uwins Smith was from the remote mining town of Cue in the Murchison district of Western Australia. He was the son of George and Harriett Wheeler Smith of Perth, Western Australia. His father had passed away during 1911.
Smith was promoted to Lance Corporal during in the 51st Battalion a few weeks before they made an assault on Mouquet Farm. Known as ‘Jack’ to his family and friends, he was reported killed in action after the battle. A mate, also from Cue, had a letter published in the local newspaper, “"Am again safe after some very hard fighting. . . I have not been too happy these last few days, as all of my cobbers have been killed, most of them along side of me. Poor Jack Smith from Cue was one. We charged the German trenches and were digging ourselves in, when a sniper shot him right in the forehead —it must have been one of their explosive bullets. He died instantly. After all, a soldier's death is a glorious one. I'm writing to his people today and giving them full particulars of his death. . . . Our Battalion has made a great name for itself in capturing a German stronghold from the Prussian Guards. We captured over 150 prisoners, and slaughtered a tremendous lot in the charge.”
Jack Smith's identity disc was returned to his mother, Harriet, in February 1918. Where it came from is unknown, it was returned as his only personal effect.
Jack’s brother, 3359 Pte. Ivon Herbert Jacob Smith, 44th Battalion AIF, later died of wounds during August 1918, aged 19.