SMITH, George Henry
| Service Number: | 241 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 5th Western Australian Mounted Infantry |
| Born: | Apsley, Vic., 12 June 1881 |
| Home Town: | Kalgoorlie, Kalgoorlie/Boulder, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Engine Cleaner (1908 Engine Driver) |
| Died: | Gawler, South Australia, Australia, 10 May 1949, aged 67 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Willaston General Cemetery, South Australia |
| Memorials: |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 241, 5th Western Australian Mounted Infantry |
|---|
Boer War-Letter to mum from Spains Farm, South Africa
The Narracoorte Herald
Tuesday 16 July 1901 Page 3
(Unedited)
WITH THE WEST AUSTRALIAN
CONTINGENT IN SOUTH AFRICA.
Mr. George Smith, son of the' Into Mr.
H. Smith jur., and -a nephew of Mr.
Henry Smith of Narracoorte, who is. well
known in this district where he fit' one
time resided, was" orie/of those who went
to South Africa with the 'Sixth -Western
Australian Contingent1 Writing to bis
mother from Spain's I?arm, South: Africa,
under date of May' 26.190L, he states:—
"Just a few lines to'let yon" know I am
still alive and quite well. No doubt you
will have read "Hie news out of the paper -
(long before yon receive my letter) of the i
list of -casualties of the fifth arid sixth
-W.A. contingents, 10 killed and 14 wonnd
ed. Of my own division of 23 men there
were only 16 left. Sergeant Forrest and
the Corporal were shot dead, and the rest
have been sent away to the Hospital at
Pretoria. The 5th Contingent left Perth
four weeks before the fith so we did a lot
of work before tbey joined ns. The
second day they were with us we bad the
big fight.- It lasted from nine o'clock in
the morning till 4 o'clock in the afternoon,
and it was through the 6th retiring at a
gallop that broke tbe British lines and
let the Boers in amongst us, and caused
such a confusion. The dead and wounded :
were lying everywhere. I was lying
between two that wore shot. "They were
five yards on either side of me. I was
blazing away at about 20 Boers at 500
yards. I did not see tbe others get it. I
remember one of them singing" out, "My
God I'm shot." I never took any notice,
as I could not see them unless I stood up,
the grass being so high. Firing slackened
and I stood up, but directly 1 did ping,
pang, close to my head, so I got down in
the grass quick and lively again and
crawled to my mate only to find him
dead; shot straight through the head. It
must have been him I heard sing out,
because he was shot through the body too.
I crawled on to the next one, and found
him dying, and unable to speak, but he
pointed to his pocket and I took out a
letter. He kissed it, and handed it to me
It was addressed to his sister in Sydney,
I looked up and just had time to get to
my horse, mount and get' away with the
rest of my division which had a couple
of yards start on me, while the Boers were
only a quarter of a mile away coming for
all they were worth firing at me all the
time. The nearest approach to hitting
me were two bullets that went through
my overcoat that'was' strapped in front of
my saddle, while one went in and out of
the fleshy part of the horse's off hind
flank, but that did not stop his gallop, as
be continued to gain on the leaders. The
Boers pulled up when they came to the
dead and wounded, and stripped them of
their boots, rifle, money, and ammunition.
They also captured Sergeant Mabel' and
a Corporal. They stripped the Sergeant
and let him go, but they kept the other
man a prisoner. I am quite well and
getting fat and heavy, and as hard
as nails. Trusting you.are all well.
Submitted 10 November 2019 by Selina Rogers
Biography contributed by Faithe Jones
Kalgoorlie Miner (W.A.) 2-8-1901
WITH THE W.A. CONTINGENT' IN SOUTH- AFRICA
Mr. George Smith, son of the late Mr. H. Smith, jun., and a nephew of Mr. Henry Smith of Naracoorte, who is well known in that district, where he at one time resided, was one of those who went to South Africa with the sixth Western Australian Contingent. Writing to his mother from Spain's Farm, South Africa, under date of May 26, 1901 , he states: “Just a few lines to let you know I am still alive and quite well. No doubt you will have read the news out of the paper (long before you receive my letter) of the list of casualties of the fifth and sixth W.A. contingents— 10 killed and 14 wounded. Of my own division of 23 men there were only 16 left. Lieut. Forrest and the corporal were shot dead, - and the rest have been sent away to the hospital at Pretoria. The 5th contingent left Perth four weeks before the 6th, so we did a lot of work before they joined us. The second day they were with us we had the big fight. It lasted from 9 o'clock in the morning till 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and it was through the 6th retiring at a gallop that, broke the British lines and let the Boers in amongst us, and caused such a confusion.. The dead and wounded were lying everywhere. I was lying between two that were shot. They were five yards on either side of me. I was blazing away at about 20 Boers at 500 yards. I did not see the others get it. I remember one of them singing out, 'My God, I’m shot. I never took any notice, as I could not see them unless I stood up, the grass being so high. Firing slackened, and I stood up, but directly I did ping pang, close to my head, so I got down in the grass quick and lively again, and crawled to my mate, only to find him dead, shot straight through the head. It must have been him I heard sing out because he was shot through the body too. I crawled on to the next one, and found him dying and unable to speak, but he pointed to his pocket, and I took out a letter. He kissed it and handed it to me. It was addressed to his sister in Sydney. I looked up, and had just time to get to my horse, mount, and get away with the rest of my division, which had a couple of yards start on me, while the Boers were only a quarter of a mile away coming for all they were worth, firing at me all the time. The nearest approach to hitting me were two bullets, that went through my overcoat that was strapped in front of my saddle, while one went in and out of the fleshy part of my horse's off hind flank, but that did not stop his gallop, as he continued to gain on the leaders. The Boers pulled up when they came to the dead and wounded, and stripped them of their boots, rifle, money, and ammunition. They also captured Sergeant Maher and a corporal. They stripped the sergeant and let him go, but they kept the other man a prisoner.
I am quite well and getting fat and heavy, and as hard as nails. Trusting you are all well.
George moved to Galwer c1923
The Advertiser (Adelaide, S.A.) 12-5-1949
SMITH. —On May 10, at Adelaide Hospital, George Henry, the beloved husband of Isabelle Maria Smith, of 18 Twelfth street, Gawler South. Aged 68 years. At rest.
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