SMILES, Ernest Pearce
| Service Number: | 1225 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 27 October 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 4th Pioneer Battalion |
| Born: | Albury, New South Wales, Australia, 1885 |
| Home Town: | Albury, Albury Municipality, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | St Patrick’s Parish School, Albury, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Boundary rider |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 6 August 1916 |
| Cemetery: |
Puchevillers British Cemetery, France Plot II, Row D, Grave No. 13. BELOVED SON OF THOMAS & BRIDGET M. SMILES OF ALBURY. N.S.W. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Manly War Memorial NSW |
World War 1 Service
| 27 Oct 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1225, 13th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Dec 1914: | Involvement Private, 1225, 13th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Berrima embarkation_ship_number: A35 public_note: '' | |
| 22 Dec 1914: | Embarked Private, 1225, 13th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Berrima, Melbourne | |
| 16 Mar 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 4th Pioneer Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
‘Pearce’ Smiles’ mother noted on his Roll of Honour circular, “My son landed and went through Gallipoli in the 13th Batt. He was an ANZAC.”
His brothers 909 Pte Leonard Kerry Smiles, 2nd Battalion AIF, died of Gallipoli wounds in Egypt, 1 May 1915 and another 324 Pte Frank Stanley Smiles, 19th Battalion AIF, died of wounds whilst a prisoner of war, 2 December 1916.
Ernest Pearce Smiles also died of wounds, near Pozieres, two days after a heavy shell explosion inflicted mortal injuries to his body on 4 August 1916.
The boys were the sons of Thomas and Bridget Smiles, Albury, and each had attended St Patrick’s Parish School in Albury.
In August 1915, a report from Ernest, also known as Pearce, was published in the Albury Banner, where his father was the sports editor. Pearce explained details of the Gallipoli campaign, which he had survived but where his brother was mortally wounded.
“We had a hot reception, the bullets floating through the air like swarms of bees, but we gave the Turks something to remember, and we will give them plenty more before this war is over,” Pearce, of the 13th Battalion, wrote.
“The casualties were heavy but the Australians that landed in that terrible hail of lead made a name for themselves that will never die.”
Pearce Smiles learned of his brother Leonard’s death from a battalion mate, who had been wounded at the same time, and from the bed next door, had watched Leonard die in an Egyptian hospital. The mate had recovered and returned to Gallipoli.
On 1 September 1916, Pearce’s parents received a generic letter to inform them that he had been reported wounded in France.
“It is not stated as being serious and in the absence of further reports it is to be assumed that all wounded are progressing satisfactorily,” it read.
His death was confirmed in a letter to Bridget on December 11, 1916. The Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau secured a report from a chaplain at the clearing station where Pearce died.
By the time Bridget received this letter, unknown to her was the fact a third son, Frank Smiles, had died of wounds on 2 December 1916.