Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

“Your father won’t be coming home”, is what a five-year-old Stuart Smith was told in the year of 1969 after his father, Sergeant Bernard Lyle Smith was killed from callous warfare in Vietnam at the tender age of 29. Fittingly, this year marks the 50th anniversary of his tragic death.

Portrait of Bernard Lyle Smith, 5th Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment. Taken during a patrol of the Long Hai hills. Circa 1966 Bernard or “Bernie” as he was recognised by his friends and family was born on 2 September 1939 in Snowtown in South Australia to Edward Lyle and Mary Ilene Smith. Bernie attended Wallaroo Primary School and then progressed to Kadina High School before he moved to Adelaide, where he went to Sacred Heart College. Bernie liked playing football and tennis and developed a strong passion for music. Having piano lessons from a young age and playing the tenor horn meant he was a gifted musician. When he was 14, he auditioned to enter the Australian Army band but was unfortunately unsuccessful, instead, he went on to join the railways. He grew up to possess a deep interest in the military and had many motivations to join himself, his father served in World War Two, his grandfather in the Boer War, and his great-uncles in World War One.

Bernie met Janice Bain, his future wife when he was working at the railways when she was 16, where they became close friends and soon fell in love. Two months after he turned 19, in November 1958, he enlisted for the Australian Regular Army and trained until 1959. In September 1959, he served in Malaya in the Malayan emergency guerrilla war, until November 1961. The Malayan war proved to give the Australian soldiers experience in the field of jungle warfare, which was applied in the Vietnam War. When he was in Malaya, he proposed to Janice through a letter and the pair wedded in North Adelaide in 1962. They then went on to move to Sydney and started a family; their son Stuart was born in 1963 and Edward in 1967.

Bernie continued his service and enlisted for the Royal Australian Regiment’s 5th battalion in 1965. This particular battalion was the first of its kind to consist of an equal number of conscripted men and regular soldiers. At the age of 26, he was promoted to a corporal and was soon tasked with training the first intakes of national servicemen at the 5th battalion’s base in Holsworthy, New South Wales. After spending a short time training, Bernie’s battalion was sent to Vietnam in 1966. His battalion was tasked with the construction of Australia’s largest taskforce base in Vietnam, which was located in the province of Phuoc Tuy. The base was called Nui Dat, which in Vietnamese translates to “small hill”. This base was situated near Viet Cong bases, which meant it was ideal for infiltrating Viet Cong. Consequently, Bernie’s battalion participated in patrolling and attacks on Viet-Cong controlled areas.

Bernie was chosen for a platoon whose purpose was to partake in reconnaissance and intelligence of the Viet Congs’ movements. This helped with the process of ambushes and battalion movements. Their work proved to be successful and effective in the elimination of Viet Cong but was also very strenuous as they were always on the move and did not occupy a lot of time for rest. It is estimated that Bernie’s battalion trekked over 1000 kilometres whilst on patrol, for Bernie, however, this number would have been considerably higher. In May 1967, Bernie’s battalion’s tour ended, the tour had been exhausting, the men had suffered the heat of the rainforest, continuous operations and the dangers of dying by callous, grisly warfare.

In February 1969, the now “Sergeant” Bernie Smith was sent to Vietnam for a second tour. Little did he know that when he said goodbye to his family, friends and country, it would be the last time. On the 8th of March, the commander of the 5th Battalions, 10th Platoon cut through a fence surrounding a South Vietnamese outpost. This particular outpost was notorious for having landmines surrounding it. This operation was part of what was known as the “shakedown” of the Viet Cong which started on March 1 of the same year. As the platoon commander cut through the third fence, the men heard a click of a rifle. This resulted in the start of a fight involving machine guns, grenades and rifles. When the firing ceased early in the morning of March 9, the platoon commander was dead and three other men were wounded. The courageous Sergeant Bernie Smith came with another commander and men. Soon after their arrival, one of the non-commissioned officers' accidentally triggered a tripwire of an M16 mine. Bernie, at just 29 years of age was killed instantly, along with another two officers killed and seven wounded.

Bernie’s wife Janice, lost her husband and his two sons, Stuart, a five-year-old and Edward, who was just 15 months old without a father. Janice, who was now a single mother said, “That was his life and that’s what he had to do and what he wanted to do.” Janice never remarried and still feels strongly connected with Bernie, saying “I still dream about him after all this time.” Stuart, his son grew up to follow his father’s legacy and joined the army. He went on to become the major general of the Australian Army and has small memories of his father saying, “I have smells and I have sounds that are my memories of him.” Bernie’s body was sent to his hometown, Wallaroo and is buried at Wallaroo cemetery.

FOUR GENERATIONS OF SERVICE TO OUR NATION

First Generation

On 30 January 1901 Edwin John Smith left his wheat farm in Whitwarta and enlisted in the South Australia Imperial Bushmen’s Rifles as a Trooper, regimental number 441.  Ten days later, he sailed for South Africa.  After landing in the Cape Colony, he served with his fellow Bushmen at the Defence of Graspan and the charge at Grootviei. He survived the South African War, returned to Adelaide to marry Martha Maud Milton and together they raised four children.

He was the first of four generations of Smiths, descendant from William Hall Cockerill Smith of Yorke Peninsular, South Australia, to serve their nation.

The next was 22 year old Oscar Vivian Thomas Cockerill Smith, Edwin’s cousin, who was among the first to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on 19 August 1914, just days after the outbreak of World War 1. Oscar had previously served as a gunner with the 3rd Field Artillery, Citizens Military Forces. In the rush to raise the AIF, many recruits with previous military service were appointed to positions of leadership. Subsequently, Oscar was enlisted as a Sergeant, service number 2764, in the Divisional Ammunition Column, 3rd Brigade Field Artillery. He sailed for Egypt in November 1915.

Oscar’s record highlights that he served at Gallipoli, was evacuated to the General Hospital in Cairo in Dec 15, rejoined his unit to serve in France in 1916 and was promoted to Battery Sergeant Major that same year. He was posted to the Artillery School England in 1917 but marched himself out of the School to rejoin his unit in France before returning to Australia as one of the ‘Gallipoli originals’ in Oct 1918.

Perhaps one of the reasons for Oscar to return to France was the arrival of his older brother, service number 26104 Gunner Albert Victor Thomas Cockerill Smith.

Albert was a railway apprentice in Adelaide and enlisted in the AIF on 17 Jan 1916 at age 25. He was posted as a reinforcement in the Field Artillery, left Australia in Aug 1916 and commenced training in England in Sep.  He deployed to France in Feb 1917 and served in the 5th Division Artillery on the western front.  He was wounded in action on 4 Oct 1917 but remained on duty.  He took leave in England in Feb 1918 then returned to France. He received a serious gunshot wound to his right leg on 23 Oct 1918 and was admitted to the 6th General Hospital, but died of his wound on 1 Nov 1918.  He is buried at the St Sever Cemetery Extension Rouen, France.

Meanwhile, Edwin’s younger brother, service number 5070 Norman Robert Smith enlisted on 27 March 1916 at age 24. He joined the 13th batch of reinforcements for the 27th Infantry Battalion and sailed for England on 23 Jun 1916, leaving behind his wife Ethel with one child (Leonard) and a second on the way (Norma). After a short period of training in England, he joined the 27th Battalion in Belgium on 2 October 1916.  He was reported missing in action on 5 Nov 1916 during the battle of Fleurs and declared killed in action on 22 Nov 16.  The Australian Red Cross Society Wounded and Missing Enquiry indicates that Norman was killed by machine gun fire at Fleurs Bayonet Trench. His body lay in no mans land for some days before it was recovered and temporarily buried by Reverend Hume Robertson.

Second generation

Edwin John Smith had three sons who all volunteered for service during the Second World War.  Edward Lyle Smith served as a radio operator on Thursday Island from 1943-45.

Third generation

Edward Lyle Smith’s son, Bernard Lyle Smith, enlisted in the Regular Army in 1958.  He served with the 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, during the Malaya Emergency 1959-1960.  He was an original member of the 5th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment when it was formed out of 1 RAR in 1965.  He served with 5 RAR as a Corporal Recon Patrol Commander during their first tour of duty in South Vietnam in 1966.  After a period as an instructor at the Officer Training Unit at Scheyville, he rejoined 5 RAR as a Platoon Sergeant. He deployed with the Battalion for their second tour of duty in South Vietnam and was killed in action in March 1969.

Fourth generation

Bernard Lyle Smith's son, Major General Stuart Lyle Smith AO, DSC,  enlisted in the Australian Regular Army in 1981 and retired from full time service in August 2017

Father:  Edward Lyle (d. 1962 (51 yrs) and Mother Mary Ilene Smith (b.1913-d.1993) both buried in Wallaroo Cemetery, with their son Bernard.

Husband of Janice.

Father of Stuart and Edward.

Royal Australian Infantry Corps

Bernie enlisted in 1958 aged 19 and later served in Malaya with the 1st Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (RAR). He served both tours of South Vietnam with the 5th Battalion. 

On his first tour 1966-1967 he served as a Section Commander with 9 Platoon C Company and later as a Patrol/ Section Commmander with the Reconnaissance Platoon 5th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment.  

On his second tour in 1969 he served as a Platoon Sergeant until Killed on 9 Mar 1969

9/3/1969     killed in action (29 yrs of age)
                  

Buried in Wallaroo Cemetery, South Australia