SMITH, Alexander
| Service Number: | 12410 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 16 December 1914, Oaklands, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Driver |
| Last Unit: | 1st Australian Army Service Corps Company |
| Born: | Hindmarsh, South Australia, 11 March 1894 |
| Home Town: | Mount Lofty, Adelaide Hills, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Crafers School |
| Occupation: | Farm labourer |
| Died: | Burns (accidental), West Wyalong, New South Wales, 6 August 1940, aged 46 years |
| Cemetery: |
West Wyalong General Cemetery, New South Wales West Wyalong,Burial 7/8/1940. E12 Presbyterian section. |
| Memorials: | Stirling Uniting Church Lych Gate |
World War 1 Service
| 16 Dec 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Oaklands, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Sep 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Driver, 12410, 1st Australian Army Service Corps Company , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '22' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Sydney embarkation_ship_number: A15 public_note: '' | |
| 7 Sep 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Driver, 12410, 1st Australian Army Service Corps Company , HMAT Port Sydney, Melbourne |
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Alexander Smith was the eldest son of John Smith & Isabella Ross Smith of Avenue Rd, Mt Lofty. He had three other siblings, Margaret Annie Georgina Smith who married Clem Hill, John Smith known as Jack who also fought in WW1 and he married Violet Ethel Alice Wasley & Sydney Marshall Smith who married Annie Gertrude Frankcom.
They lived next to the railway line at Mt Lofty.
Alex worked on a sheep station in Snowtown before he enlisted into the army on 16th December 1914 as a driver, for the Light Horse. His regiment number was 12410. His height was 5' 8 1/2",weighing 154lbs, fair complexion, grey eyes, brown hair and of Congregational Denomination.
He embarked on the 'Inkosi' for Alexandria. On 14/11/1915 he was admitted to ship hospital sick at Gallipoli Peninsula. He suffered at various times with general illnesses and was admitted to hospital quite frequently. At Cairo he was admitted for rheumatism which he suffered from at different times.
He was later invalided to Australia on 11/4/1916 due to ill health.
Alex enlisted again on the 14/8/1916 at Broadmeadows in Victoria and fought in France and Belgium and was discharged on the 18/7/1919. On 29/11/1916 he was already admitted to hospital in England for observation.
He was in France until 12/1/1918 when he was stationed in Belgium until at least 13/7/1918. On 21/9/1918 he was on leave in England and by 19/10/1918 he was back in hospital.
He returned to Australia on the 'Mahia' 17/7/1919.
Alexander was awarded three medals, Star 1914/15, British War Memorial and the Victory medal.
It seems Alex didnt fit back into home life easily and chose to live and work at West Wyalong area in New South Wales. He drove a team of horses and unpacked wheat bags onto the train.
On the 23/2/1938 from Billy's Lookout, via Wyalong, N.S.W. Alexander applied for a copy of his discharge certificate. He signed a Statuatory Declaration saying that it had been burnt with other letters and papers at a camp that he was working at in Ouyen, Victoria. This was signed by Alexander on 26/3/1938.
Alexander died aprox 6/8/1940 at Corringle Railway Siding, Billys Lookout. He was a farm labourer aged 46, not married. He died from burns accidentally received. He is buried in the Presbyterian section in the West Wyalong Cemetery, E12 next to Robert Smith, no relation.
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