John Harold Rupert Smith

Personal Information
Date of Birth	unknown
Place of Birth	Melbourne, Victoria
Death	3 Apr 1975
Place of Death	Warwick, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	24 years, 9 months
Description	5'9" (1.75m) tall; weight 134 lbs (60.8 kg); Fair complexion, brown eyes, light brown hair.
Occupation	orchardist
Religion	Methodist
Address	'Roscrea', Bedfordale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father Mr John Thomas Smith
Military Information
Reg Number	6316
Date of Enlistment	22 Mar 1915
Rank	Driver
Unit/Formation	Army Service Corps 1916 Reinforcement 1, transferred to 2nd Division Train, 16th Coy AASC
Date of Embarkation	25 Jun 1915 - ??
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A40 Ceramic
Date of Return	28 Feb 1919 - 7 Apr 1919
Ship Returned On	HMAT A68 Anchises
Fate	Returned to Australia
Monument	Armadale (Bedfordale panel) Bedfordale Honour Board
Medals	1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Electoral Roll entries - 1912, Bedfordale, labourer

War Service

A month after entering his training camp, John was promoted Driver [23 Apr 1915].

Following service in Egypt, he embarked on the HMAT A32 Themistocles on 15 Nov 1915 for Lemnos Island and then to Gallipoli.

Served in Gallipoli before evacuating on 20 Dec 1915 aboard the HMT Empress of Briton. Back in Egypt in Feb 1916 he was admitted to hospital in Cairo for a fortnight with jaundice.

Three months later he was back in hospital again, this time the 26th General Hospital at Étaples in France for a week with influenza. On discharge from hospital he was taken on strength of the 2nd Division Base Depot in Étaples. Served a time with 2nd Anzac Entrenching Battalion and on 9 Aug 1916 he transferred from them to the 2nd Anzac Cyclists Battalion.

On 3 Nov 1916 he reported sick to hospital, and on the 17th at Boulogne he boarded the HS Jan Breydel for England where he entered the 2nd Eastern General Hospital with pneumonia.

On release from hospital he was granted furlough in England. On 21 Oct 1918 he was acting Lance Corporal at the AASC Training Depot in France before embarking on 29 Jan 1919 for England to begin his return to Australia. Discharged 5th Military District 28 Jun 1919.

"Enlisted 19th March, 1915; sailed with the Army Service Corps 25th April, 1915; went through the Gallipoli campaign, returned to Egypt, thence to France. Lately reported ill of pneumonia. Home on the Upper Wungong River (father JF Smith JP). Trained in Melbourne before going to Egypt and then Gallipoli. After the evacuation returned to Egypt and then France."

Post War

Electoral Roll entries - 1921 - 1937 labourer at Bedfordale with Annie. In May 1967 at 13 Thurloe street Bicton.

Listening Post Oct 1922 - Armadale delegate to Annual State RSL Congress.

In 1967 he wrote an indignant letter (the 3rd on the matter) to the Central Army Records Office with regards their slowness in awarding him the Gallipoli Medal (Records lost), and he quoted entries in his pay book showing him receiving pay both at Gallipoli and at Mudros