SMELT, Charles George
| Service Number: | 2424 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 11 June 1915, Keswick, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Driver |
| Last Unit: | 27th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Yongala, South Australia, Australia, 28 January 1892 |
| Home Town: | Mypolonga, Murray Bridge, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Cancer ir Tuberculosis, Northfield Consumptive Home, 29 February 1932, aged 40 years |
| Cemetery: |
Murray Bridge (Adelaide Road) Cemetery, S.A. He was laid to rest at the Murray Bridge Cemetery on 1st March 1932 |
| Memorials: | Tickera War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 11 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2424, Keswick, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2424, 27th Infantry Battalion, (real enlistment date) | |
| 13 Oct 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2424, 27th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Themistocles, Adelaide | |
| 11 Aug 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Driver | |
| 5 Jun 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Driver, 2424, 27th Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour Charles George Smelt's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Adelaide High School
Charles George Smelt was born on the 28th of January 1892 in Yongala, South Australia. At some point in his life, he moved almost 300 km away to Mypolonga. He had a father named Charles Smelt and a brother named Frederick Henry Smelt who also enlisted over a year after Charles. He was raised as a Methodist. Charles had a career as a labourer when the war hit. He enlisted on the 21st of September 1915 in Keswick at the young age of 23. He had no prior war experience so he was a Private in the 27th Battalion and 5th reinforcement. He went on medical leave to England on the 28th of July 1917 and returned 2 weeks later. He was promoted to a Driver upon return. He left Belgium for France on the 19th of January 1918 for medical leave and came back after a week. Almost two months later, on the 23rd of March, he again went to England on medical leave. This period was longer as he re-joined on the 6th of July 1918. He was then in France with his unit in November of the same year. After his unrecorded health issues, he was finally discharged because he was medically unfit on the 5th of June 1919. He went on to get married and have two kids, Pearl and Graham. He died on the 29th of February 1932 at 40 years old in Northfield Consumptive Home, which was a hospital for people with tuberculosis and cancer, one of which he died from. He was laid to rest in the Murray Bridge Cemetery a day later.