Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Louis was the youngest of three children of Arie (Eric) Smit (born 1890 in the Netherlands) and Catharina Petronella Margaretha Van Gijn (born 1888 in the Netherlands). Arie and Catharina married in 1913 in Wellington, Western Australia.

Louis was living with his mother and brothers and working as a Basket Maker in Perth, WA when he enlisted in the ACMF in April 1942. He served in New Guinea with 5 Labour Coy, and in a letter to the Army written on 30 November 1976, Louis says '... the company went from Townsville to Port Moresby, New Guinea and worked worked on the wharves unloading barges ... I was sent back to Australia, declared mediacally unfit, on the hospita ship the Centaur, which was sunk on its return up the coast from Sydney. My brother eventually manpowered me out of the Army'. Father-in-Law John Waters (Private, Service No:WX3690) also served in WWII.

Louis returned to Perth, WA and was a Timber Worker in 1949 when he married Margaret Elizabeth Waters (born 1927 in Toodyay, WA). Louis and Margaret settled in Perth, where Leon was a Timber Worker. Margaret died in 2011.