SMITH, James Taylor Vinton
| Service Number: | Officer |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 February 1916, Adelaide, SA |
| Last Rank: | Second Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | Field Artillery Brigades |
| Born: | Parkside, SA, 3 November 1897 |
| Home Town: | Mitcham, Mitcham, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Adelaide High School |
| Occupation: | Bank Clerk |
| Died: | Suicide, Malvern, Vic., 22 July 1952, aged 54 years |
| Cemetery: |
Springvale Botanical Cemetery, Melbourne Dodonaea, Garden N13, Bed 5, Rose 34 |
| Memorials: | Adelaide High School Great War Honour Board, Bank of New South Wales Roll of Honour Book |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, Officer, Field Artillery Brigades, Adelaide, SA | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Nov 1917: | Involvement Field Artillery Brigades, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '4' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Sydney embarkation_ship_number: A15 public_note: '' | |
| 9 Nov 1917: | Embarked Field Artillery Brigades, HMAT Port Sydney, Melbourne |
Help us honour James Taylor Vinton Smith's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
JAMES TAYLOR VINTON SMITH, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ladyman Smith, of Mitcham, South Australia, was born on 3rd November, 1897, at Parkside, South Australia, and received his education at Adelaide High School. He joined the service of the Bank on 25th April, 1915, at Adelaide.
James Taylor Vinton Smith enlisted in the A.I.F. at Adelaide, on 1st February, 1916, and attained the rank of lieutenant on 1st March, 1917. He saw active service in France, and was mentioned in Australian Corps Orders in October, 1918. On 17th October, 1918, he was awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous bravery. The following is an extract from the Second Supplement, No. 31,680, to the “London Gazette” :—
“For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on 17th October, 1918, at the capture of the high ground east of La Selle River. His battery occupied a position 1,000 yards in rear of the front line, and suffered many casualties from machine-gun and artillery fire. The battery commander and another officer both wounded, he took charge, and supervising the removal of the wounded, handled the battery most capably until its task was completed.”
Source - Bank of NSW Roll of Honour
VINTON SMITH
FOUND DEAD
Mr. James Taylor Vinton Smith, 54, leading Melbourne sharebroker and company director, was found shot dead at his Malvern home yesterday.
A .22 calibre rifle was found under his body. Mr. Vinton Smith, who was a former M.L.A. for Oakleigh, had been shot through the head. A doctor had been treating him for a nervous complaint since he had a "blackout" recently. He attended his Collins st. office as usual on Monday. Mr. Vinton Smith went to the woodshed at his Bates st. home yesterday morning to chop wood. His wife went to call him at 8.15 a.m. after she heard the chopping stop. She found her husband dead.
Won M.C.
Mr. Vinton Smith had been a member of the committee of the Stock Exchange of Melbourne for the last six years. He served in the First World War, and gained the Military Cross and was mentioned in despatches. He was chairman of Edments Holdings Ltd, and Modern Permanent Building and Investment Society, and was a director of M. B. John Ltd., F. J. Walker Ltd., Carpet Manufacturers Ltd., and Silk and Textile Printers Ltd. He was on the staff of Bank of New South Wales, Adelaide, from 1915-20, and after he came to Melbourne took an active interest in politics, becoming president of the Young Nationalists. He was a member of several Melbourne clubs. He leaves a wife, a son, and a daughter. The funeral will leave for the Springvale Crematorium from the parlors of T. Bathurst & Co. Pty. Ltd., Glenhuntly rd., Elsternwick, at 11 a.m. tomorrow, after a short service in the chapel.
Click images to start slideshow.