SMITH, George James Bardo
| Service Number: | 398 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen |
| Born: | Watsons Bay- Sydney, New South Wales, Australia., 1877 |
| Home Town: | Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Tally Clerk |
| Died: | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia., 9 October 1932, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Melbourne General Cemetery, Carlton, Victoria Plot: MGC-RC-Comp-Z-No-1401 |
| Memorials: |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 398 | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Apr 1901: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 398, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 506 notes 6th QIB embarked at Pinkenba 4 Apr 1901 aboard Victoria arriving Cape Town 2 May 1901. | |
| 18 May 1902: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 398, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 6th QIB, Bk 2 p. 175, notes discharged in South Africa 18 May 1902. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Claude McKelvey
He served in both the South African (Boer) war and WW1.
First service under the name George James Bardo Smith was as a Private S.N. 398, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Boer war. Second service under the name George James Smith was as a Private S.N. 3 (later 169), 1st Light Horse Brigade HQ AIF, WW1.
When he enlisted in 1901 in the 6th QIB and his details were published with the rank and file in The Queenslander, 13 Apr 1901, he noted his N.O.K. as Sgt. G. J. Melville, National Guards, Sydney. In the original nominal roll for the 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen Contingent, held by National Archives, no relationship was recorded for N.O.K. indicating they were possibly a friend as it appears both his parents had passed.
The Boer War Service Paybooks for the 6th QIB, Bk 2 p. 175, notes that he was discharged in South Africa in May 1902, its assumed to allow him to take up employment there. He arrived back in Australia some time prior to 1910 when he married in Victoria.
He enlisted again in 1914 for WW1 and on his Attestation Paper, dated 18 Aug 1914, it is noted that; he was born at Watsons Bay, Sydney, NSW and was 37 years old; he was married and working as a tally clerk; his N.O.K. was his wife Mrs. G. J. Smith, Port Melbourne; and he had previously served in the 6th QIB in South Africa. It also appears to indicate he spent time in the Miners Defence Force, Johannesburg, possibly after his discharge from the 6th QIB.
George James (Bardo) Smith was born in 1877 at Watsons Bay, NSW, a son to Capt. Charles Pearce Sylvester Smith and Eliza Ann Smith (nee Robertson). He married Frances Eleanor Monagle on 5 Feb 1910 at Queenscliff, Victoria, and they had 3 children.
(source AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 517; National Archives Australia- B 5172 Nominal Roll of 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen Contingent Queensland Defence Force for service in South Africa, p. 6; National Archives Australia- WW1 service record).
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