William Christopher Smith

Name   William Christopher Smith

Number    Private 382

Battalion   38^th Battalion

Place of Birth   Horsham

Next of Kin His wife Mrs. Lily Smith of Garvie’s Post office Mardan South via Leongatha

Date and place of enlistment   Leongatha 13/3/1916

Physical details on enlistment    Age 28 years, 5’8”, 10 stone, blue eyes and light brown hair.

Religion   Presbyterian

Occupation   labourer

Date and place of death   He was reported missing in action on 13/10/1917 at Passchendaele. He was declared to have been killed in action at an enquiry held on 28/4/1918.

Location of grave or memorial

He is buried in Tyne Cot cemetery, Passchendaele, Belgium

Relationship to Woorayl Shire

He was from the Mardan area

Military History

• He is on the Meeniyan Honour Roll
• 13/3/ 16 He enlisted in Leongatha
• 20/6/16 He embarked Melbourne on HMAT Runic
• 10/8/16 He disembarked at Plymouth England
• 22/11/16 He proceeded to France via Southampton
• 24/11/16 He was sick hospital with mumps
• 3/12/16 He was discharged to his unit
• 4/12/16 He rejoined unit
• 7/6/17- 9/6/17 he was wounded in action suffering from the impact of gas and transferred to the Australian Field Ambulance
• 14/6/17 He was discharged
• 16/6/17  He returned to his unit
• 13/10/17 He was missing in the field at Passchendaele Belgium
• 28/4/18 A Court of Enquiry declared he was killed in action on 13/10/17
• His wife Lily moved to Leongatha and lived at “ Elmo” Inlet Rd Leongatha with her sister in law Mrs. Garvie also a war widow
• There is a very good letter from Lily regarding his demise on page 46 of his file
• 13/9/19 Lily asked for a death certificate
• 27/9/21Lily received a photo of his grave
• 19/3/23 Lily received his Victory medal
• 4/11/22 Lily received the memorial plaque
• 13/5/22 Lily received the memorial scroll
• His effects were 2 razors, razor strap, money belt wrist watch damaged letters, candlestick, razor, badge, shaving brush piece of chain
• Lily received a pension of 2 pounds per fortnight from 16/3/18 and their son William Ernest Smith received 20/- from 16/3/18
• William C Smith married Lily Eveline Garvie in 1916
• William Ernest Smith was born in Leongatha in 1916
• Lily Eveline was born in Leongatha in 1897. Her parents were George Garvie and Jane Baird
• Her siblings were Janet Albertina born in Clunes in 1890, Walter Stanley born in Koorooman in 1892 and Minnie Hart born in Leongatha in 1895