Hugh Smith

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Wed, 06/09/2017 - 13:35

First Name:

Hugh

Last Name:

Smith

Date of Birth:

Sunday, April 29, 1894

Mother's Name:

Mary Smith nee Windlass

Father's Name:

Hugh Smith

Date Enlisted:

Tuesday, January 18, 1916

Rank at Enlistment:

Private

Rank at Discharge:

Staff Sergeant

Unit:

54th Battalion

Service:

Infantry

Awards:

Military Medal

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Date of Death:

Sunday, November 8, 1959

Details:

Hugh Smith (Service No 5193) was born in South Shields, Durham, England and arrived in Australia with his family after 1911.

At enlistment Hugh was single, 21 years old, worked as a miner at the Excelsior mine at Corrimal, N.S.W. where he also lived.

He embarked from Sydney on HMAT A71 Nestor with 2nd Battalion, 16th Reinforcement on 9th April 1916. He arrived in Egypt and was transferred to 54th Battalion on 24th May 1916 and arrived in France with them on 29th June 1916.

The 54th Battalion served at Fromelle while Hugh was with them and he came through without any wounding being recorded.

On 5th December 1916 Hugh was awarded the Military Medal in the field. The recommendation for his award is almost illegible, but it seems his action in early November keeping communications working between Headquarters and the front line over a 3 day period of heavy shelling by enemy artillery had him recommended for the award.

He was promoted to Corporal on 12th February 1917, and to Lance Sergeant on 6th March 1919.

On 5th August 1918 he married Nora Sinclair in South Shields and she returned to Australia with him and their child in June 1919.

Hugh was discharged from the AIF on 5th October 1919.

He enlisted for service in World War II at Austinmer, N.S.W. on 19th August 1940 and served until discharged as Warrent Officer 2 from 1 Central Ordnance Depot on 26th September 1952.

Hugh died in 1959 and is buried in Macquarie Park Cemetery, N.S.W.

Sources:

NAA: B2455, SMITH H