William Sydney SMITH

SMITH, William Sydney

Service Number: 766
Enlisted: 18 August 1914
Last Rank: Sergeant
Last Unit: 7th Infantry Battalion
Born: Richmond, Victoria, Australia, 1891
Home Town: Bendigo, Greater Bendigo, Victoria
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Engine driver
Memorials: Bendigo Great War Roll of Honor
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World War 1 Service

18 Aug 1914: Enlisted AIF WW1, Lance Sergeant, 766, 7th Infantry Battalion
19 Oct 1914: Involvement 766, 7th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: ''
19 Oct 1914: Embarked 766, 7th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Hororata, Melbourne
16 Jan 1915: Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 7th Infantry Battalion, Sergeant Shoemaker
25 Apr 1915: Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 766, 7th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli
8 May 1915: Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 766, 7th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, 2nd Krithia
13 May 1915: Promoted AIF WW1, Company Sergeant Major, 7th Infantry Battalion, Reverted to Sergeant 17 January 1916 at own request.
23 Jul 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 766, 7th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières
6 May 1917: Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 766, 7th Infantry Battalion, Bullecourt (Second)
20 Sep 1917: Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 766, 7th Infantry Battalion, Menin Road
4 Oct 1917: Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 766, 7th Infantry Battalion, Broodseinde Ridge
26 Mar 1918: Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 766, 7th Infantry Battalion, German Spring Offensive 1918
10 Dec 1918: Discharged AIF WW1, Sergeant, 766, 7th Infantry Battalion, Special 1914 Leave

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Biography contributed by Larna Malone

William Sydney Smith was born in Richmond, Vic., the son of Michael & Charlotte Smith, of Fitzroy, Vic.    He was Married to Mrs. S. Smith, and they lived at 304 King-street, West Bendigo.    He was 23 years old, employed as an Engine driver, and had previous military service in the AIR and 67th Infantry.   He was amongst the early volunteers for the Expeditionary Force, enlisting on 18.8.14.   The following day he left Bendigo for the Broadmeadows Camp.   He was allotted Service no. 766 and appointed to ‘G’ Company, 7th Battalion, as Lance Sergeant.   

The 7th Battalion left Broadmeadows Camp on 18 October, 1914, and embarked for service overseas on board HMAT ‘Hororata’.   Arriving in Egypt the battalion moved into camp at Mena, at the foot of the pyramids.   (6/12/14)     

In January, 1915, the Australian force was re-organized.   In the 7th Battalion ‘G’ and ‘H’ Companies joined to form the new ‘D’ Company.      This meant that all the men from Northern Victoria were together in one Company.    William Sydney Smith was Promoted to Sergeant Shoemaker on 16/1/15.   

The 7th Battalion was part of the force which landed at Anzac Cove on 25th April, 1915.   

In May, Lieut.-General Sir W.R. Birdwood, in command of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, was asked to provide part of the Australian force to assist in a British offensive at Cape Helles.    The 2nd Australian Brigade, which included the 7th Battalion, was one of two brigades provided.    The 7th Battalion left Anzac and disembarked at ‘V’ Beach, Cape Helles, on May 6th.  The battalion moved forward on May 8th in what was later known as the “2nd Battle of Krithia”  (8-11 May).   This battle achieved minimal gain and casualties were extremely high.   

William Sydney Smith was Promoted Regimental Sergeant-Major on 13/5/15.   

The battalion returned to Anzac Cove on 17th May, 1915.    He was with the battalion in  the trenches at Steele’s Post (July), participated in the Battle of Lone Pine (August) and Embarked for Lemnos with the battalion in September.   The health of the men was of great concern and it was hoped to improve this by an extended period of rest.   The men were fed well, but the improvement in the men’s health was very slow indeed.   William Sydney Smith was ill with Influenza on 24/9/15, rejoining the battalion on 1/10/15.    The battalion returned to Anzac on November 21st.   

In December preparations began for the evacuation of Anzac.   The 7th Battalion was withdrawn on the night of December 19th.    They embarked for Lemnos and then disembarked in Egypt on 6th January 1916.   William Sydney Smith reverted to the  rank of Sergeant Shoemaker at his own request on 17/1/16.   

He went on to serve on the Western Front, then RTA on 5/9/18.   Special 1914 Leave.   

 

“The First Lot.   7th Battalion.   The first men of the Bendigo district to volunteer for service in the First World War.”: Larna Malone

 

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