Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Lewis John Schmidt was born at Willowie 27 December 1922, the son of John Henry and Ivy May (nee Lindsay) Schmidt. John and Ivy farmed Sections 98 & 101s, 99 &100s & 148, 101n, 103, Hundred of Willowie. 

Lewis enlisted for service 19 January 1942 at Willowie, listing his occupation as farm hand. He had just turned 19.  He joined 18 Garrison Battalion (Grn Bn), whose role was to defend the Adelaide sector north of Fort Glanville and guarding vulnerable points around the city. His service records indicate his preference at the time was to join the RAAF and he is  credited with passing all his tests for the Air Force late April 1942. However, Lewis was to remain with the Army for the period of his military service.

He was briefly detached to 4 Grn Bn before 18 Grn Bn left for Sydney in June 1942, where they patrolled the beaches north and south of the harbour (Monavale to Cronulla). In November of 1942 18 Grn Bn was disbanded and Lewis moved to 32 Infantry Training Battalion (Btn) at Dubbo. He trained there until Feb 43 when he went to 1 Advanced Reinforcement Depot at Kleinton (Qld) before joining the newly formed 31/51 Infantry Btn at Townsville on April 25th. The merger of the two Battalions had occurred as a result of the Federal Government releasing those men who had worked in essential industries from the army. As a result, the 31st and 51st became severely depleted, and the two Battalions were merged, forming the 31st/51st Infantry Btn, part of the 11th Brigade.

He boarded the troop ship ‘Canberra’ at Cairns, on 20 June 1943, arriving at Thursday Island on the 24 June. From there they were transferred to Horn Island, before boarding the MV ‘Van de Ljin’, arriving at Merauke, on the south coast of Dutch New Guinea, on 16th July. Merauke Force was comprised of units mostly from the 11th Brigade, and its role, amongst other things, was to defend the strategic airstrip located there. From July 1943 to August 1944 the battalion undertook long range patrols and set up outposts along the coast. Lewis had several stints in hospital during his time here,

15 August 1944 Lewis left Merauke aboard the ‘Tarooma’ arriving in Sydney nine days later. The Battalion, along with the rest of the brigade, had assembled at Strathpine for training in preparation for its next deployment - Bougainville. Until now the 11th Brigade had spent the war doing garrison duties. Lewis boarded the ‘Seasnip’ at Brisbane 6 December 1944, disembarking at Torokina on Bougainville six days later.

As part of the 11th Brigade, they began an offensive campaign which saw them involved in heavy combat against the Japanese, including campaigns at Tsimba Ridge between December 1944 and February 1945, Numa Numa Trail in March/ April of 1945 and at Bonis Peninsula between May and July of 1945.

Lewis spent some time in hospital during his time in Bougainville before he finally embarked at Torokina aboard the ‘Kanimbla’ 23 September 1945, disembarking at Rabaul where the Battalion re-occupied what had been the main Japanese base since it was captured in January 1942. 

He was discharged from the army 10 May 1946. He married Mary Kathleen (Molly) Manning 14 February 1949, at St. Raphael’s Church, Carrieton.  

On his return to Adelaide and civilian life, Lewis worked in retail sales specialising in footwear, with several large retailers until his retirement.

Lewis John Schmidt passed away on the 24 Novmeber 2015 at Marleston, South Australia, aged 92 years and is interred at the Enfield Memorial Park, South Australia, Catholic Section Row CP. Site number 10.

Excerpt from "Diggers From the Dust" (2018) Di Barrie & Andrew Barrie.