Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Born at Torrensville on the 17th January 1919, Stanley John Bernard was named after his father, Bernard. He was known as S.J.B but most commonly as ‘Bub’
Because of his height,‘Bub’ became a reliable ruckman for the West Torrens League Football team, earning an award in ’37 for services rendered to the team. Throughout the season he was praised for being a reliable, prominent figure, known for his marking, vigorous play and effective ruckwork. The following year he was involved in the inaugural floodlight match at the Hindmarsh Oval in a match between past and present members of West Torrens. The proceeds of the match went towards supporting the Queen of Sports entrant, Audrey Langman.
Bub was also interested in racing greyhounds, owning an attractive dog named Lady Viv who had some success while racing.
Post school, Bub worked as a storeman at the Croydon rope and nail works, until aged 21 he became one of the early enlistees to serve in WWI on the 15th June 1940, as did his friend 22-year-old Gordon Jury. They were given the numbers SX7257 and SX7200 respectively, with both placed in the newly formed 2/48th Battalion. Their early days were spent not far from home, in the cold of the Pavilions, now part of the Royal Adelaide Showgrounds, before they headed to Woodside for their intensive training. While on leave in October, Bub travelled to Mount Gambier to farewell his Boothey relatives, returning to the Druids Hall at Torrensville where a social was organised to farewell six young men, including the Jury brothers and Bub. Presentations were made to each of them.
Early on, it was noted that ‘the 2/48th Battalion would have a top class (football) team with many star South Australian and Western Australian players. Prominent right through the war was that gentle giant of a man, ‘Bub’ Smith. At home in Adelaide, he was a champion ruckman for his beloved West Torrens team and the State. A great mate of (Diver) Derrick’s, Bub also offered the opinion “Diver was a damn good footballer. He would go in for the ball fearlessly. He was just short of top class. That kept him out of the battalion team at times but he was a real handy reserve.”
Following pre-embarkation leave, the men were soon boarding the Stratheden on the 7th November. En route, the ship briefly called in to Freemantle in Western Australia where both Bub and Gordon chose to have one last, but unofficial celebration on Australian soil. Both were reprimanded for being back late to the ship and a little under the weather, but escaped with just being admonished, without a financial penalty for being AWOL for an hour. They eventually arrived in the Middle East on the 17th December.
There, the 2/48th Battalion completed a few months training in Cyrenaica before going to Tobruk at the start of April 1941 where the dust, flies, heat, minimal water supplies and constant bombardment were quite a challenge to fresh new enlistees. Both were to become the highly regarded Rats of Tobruk.
Bub’s recollection of April 3rd was Reveille sounding early and by 0530 hours all companies were moving. The picnic atmosphere had gone. He recalled they had dug in on high grounds overlooking plains to the south and west, one of three important passes onto the escarpment. He is quoted as saying “Hell, we were well dug in. Among trees. We recon we had the drop on them.” Bub was soon promoted to Acting Corporal that month.
Early in July Bub was fortunate to survive gunshot wounds to his left and right arm causing him to be hospitalised (and reverting to the rank of Private). Back home his injury was reported in the local News and included his photo ‘A.-Cpl. S. J. B. Smith, former West Torrens footballer, who was recently reported injured, is now reported to be wounded in action. He is 22 and enlisted in July, 1940. He left for overseas in November. Before he joined up he was employed at the Croydon rope and nail works.’
Just months later in October Bub again suffered an injury, this time to his wrist.
February ’42 brought deep snow in the Lebanon Range. Bub, Derrick and forty men enjoyed some time in snowball fights before training became more vigorous. In late June, with Rommel crossing into Egypt, the 2/48th were in an offensive to capture Trig 33, which was achieved early in July. In doing so, over 400 Italian prisoners were taken. The now highly respected 2/48th were then sent to El Alamein, in Egypt, advancing south, capturing the Tel el Eisa station and repelling numerous counter attacks. However, they were eventually forced to withdraw, with the 2/48th Battalion suffered 215 casualties between the 7th July and 23rd October. Of that number, 64 men were killed and six, died of their wounds. 125 other men were wounded but survived. It was during the bitter fighting at Tel el Eisa on 22 July ‘42 that Bub’s friend, 26-year-old Private Gordon Jury was killed in action. He had just celebrated his 26th birthday and it was just over two years since he enlisted.
A measure of the fine young soldier Gordon was, the closeness of those in the 2/48th Battalion and the devastation of the losses incurred in January ’42 was reflected in the tributes from fellow soldiers who survived. They included SX7261 Wally Everett, SX7003 George Hunt, SX7263 Bill (Curly) Foster, SX7257 Corporal Stanley Smith, SX7276 Corporal Stephen Lister and SX8132 Private Cyril Fleet.
At the start of August ’42 Bub was promoted to Corporal, contracted tonsilitis and related diphtheria, evidence of the conditions he had endured. Finally, he and the battalion headed home to Australia at the start of February ’43. After enjoying leave, while at Kairi in mid July ‘43, post war Wal Fennell recalled that he, Derrick and ‘Bub’ were locked up by the provosts (MPs) one night for being drunk. They were then taken back to their unit without charge.
‘Bub’, his family and fellow soldiers continued to remember good friends, so tragically killed.
Advertiser Saturday 22 July 1944, JURY, SX7200 Pte. G. J.—In memory of my best mate, Gordon, killed in action July 22, 1942. Not just today, but every day, in silence I remember you.—Inserted by SX7257 Cpl. S. J. B. (Bub) Smith, A.I.F. JURY.—A tribute to the memory of Gordon, killed in action July 22 1942: also Murray, died of wounds. September 12. 1942. Among Australia's honored brave, their duty nobly done.—inserted by Mr. and Mrs. B. Smith. A proud tribute to comrades B Coy., 2/48th Btn . fell in action July 22. 1942. I Their memory will never fade. Remembered by Cpl. Steve Lister. B coy., 2/48th Batt. A tribute of remembrance to G. Jury. T. Elliot, R. Sunman. and Lieut. L. Hefferon and the boys of 11 PI, 2/48t Bn.. killed in action. July 22, 1942. —Inserted by your mate. Bob Smith.
Following leave, Bob trained in Queensland to prepare for the tropical conditions of New Guinea. Within three months of arriving, he was again wounded with a gunshot wound to the right of his scalp. In Derrick’s diaries (edited with notations by Mark Johnson) the entry for 17th November ’43 was written from the White Trunk Tree area. ‘B Coy were pushed in and a glorious display and attack dislodged enemy from well dug in posn. Lt Norton, Pte Ogilvy & Pte Dixon were killed and approx. 20 wounded including Lt Robins, Sgts Badman and Lampre, Cpls Bub Smith, Geoff Radbone, Linds Hardy, Squeak Harriss & Jack Redden’ Derrick referred to Bub as a ‘gentle giant’.
Again, the December issue of the Advertiser reported that ‘Mr. and Mrs. B. Smith, of 44 Meyer street, Torrensville, have been notified that their son, Cpl. S. J. B. Smith, has been wounded in action in New Guinea. He enlisted in June, 1940, and left Australia in November. He served in the Middle East and was wounded at Tobruk. He returned to Australia with the 9th Division in February. ‘

On January 24th ’44, Derrick’s diary recorded that he was involved in ‘more cleaning & gradually getting something like a camp. – Have built a doover & have Bub Smith with me. Went to pictures last night, 3 alerts & a delay of 2 hours sent me camp wards.’
On the 19th September the men were on the move to the Australian Field Artillery Regiment’s football ground for the 9th Division premiership between the 2/48th and 2/9th Division Cavalry Regiment. The 2/48th wo by just three points in what was described as ‘one of the best matches ever played between the units.’ It was the third time the 2/48th had won the Divisional premiership. (at lease fourteen of the team had a league playing background pre-war.) ‘Bub won the medal for the fairest and most brilliant player in the encounter.
In the closing days of war, in April ‘45 Bub left Townsville for Morotai and thence to Tarakan before finally returning to Australia, arriving in Sydney early in November, to be discharged on the 14th. Bub was 26 years old and wore the scars of battle on his right shoulder, neck and at the back of his head. He was extremely fortunate to survive and more surprising that he was able to return to football in July ’46. The tall ruckman’s return was eagerly anticipated playing his first league game since early in the war. Unfortunately, Bub’s time in New Guinea had left him with tropical ulcers which made him unavailable for the August match.
He married Josephine Mary (‘Joan’) with the two having three children, Bernard, Pat and Cathy.
In an unusual decision, the ’46 award for the Nitschke Medal ended in a tie for the best ruckman in the S.A. National Football Association between ‘Bub’ Smith (West Torrens), R Smith (North Adelaide and R. S. Jewaskiewitz, of Sturt. The umpires were then tasked with choosing just one player (rather than awarding all three equally) and settling on the Sturt ruckman. By the following year, Bub and Stan Cox were the longest serving players with the Torrens League team, with ‘Bub’ being praised for his intelligent rucking to his teammates.
Retiring from the game, Bub became secretary of the Torrens Association in 1950. In what should have been a memorable Club trip to the South East, to attend a Jubilee match between Torrens and Port in May ‘51, became the scene of an horrific car accident. Travelling with fellow officials Bub’s friend, a former Torrens and State player, was killed. Bub was badly injured with a lacerated scalp and probable fractured pelvis. A court case followed, with Bub found not to have been driving dangerously to have caused the tragedy. Bub eventually returned home in an ambulance. The West Torrens Club rallied around the survivors with a fund raising social.
Bub also became a long serving member of the Thebarton Sub Branch of the R.S.S. as secretary as well as continuing as secretary and acting as manager of the end-of-season Torrens interstate trip.
Aged 79, Bub died on the 2nd May 1998 and now rests at Centennial Park Cemetery, Services Family section, Rose bed 7 position 80. 91-year-old Joan died on the 2nd January 2012 and now rests with ‘Bub’.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.