William Alfred Smith diaries and photographs, 1915-1919

fonds

1915-1919

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Photographs

9585753

0.04 metres of textual material (1 folder)

William Alfred Smith was born in Brentwood, Essex, England, in 1894. At the age of 19 he emigrated to Melbourne on a subsidised passage and was employed on a Victorian apple orchard. In 1915 he enlisted in the A.I.F. in the 59th Infantry Battalion, and sailed to Egypt on the ‘Anchises’. He landed on Gallipoli with the 2nd Division in November 1915. He was temporarily evacuated to Lemnos with dysentery and jaundice but returned to Gallipoli in time to participate in the evacuation. After completing further training in Egypt, Smith was transferred to the 5th Division Signals Company, which was deployed to the Western Front. In the battle of Fromelles in July 1916 he was gassed and blinded, requiring hospitalisation for some weeks. In 1917 he took part in the battle at Polygon Wood, receiving the Meritorious Medal for bravery at the recommendation of Brigadier-General ‘Pompey’ Elliot. At the end of the war Smith was discharged as medically unfit. On his return to Australia, he settled in Somersby, north of Sydney, where he worked as a farm labourer before purchasing a farm, ‘Good Mayes’. He turned the farm into a prosperous enterprise, growing passionfruit and later citrus. The last 30 years of his life were marked by war-related illnesses, and he died in 1966.

Reference:
Library correspondence file

This collection comprises three volumes of diaries relating to William Alfred Smith's service during World War I and shortly after, and two photographs.

ITEM 1
William Alfred Smith diary, 21 October 1915-6 November 1916

ITEM 2
William Alfred Smith diary, 1 January 1918-28 December 1918

ITEM 3
William Alfred Smith diary, 1 January 1919-12 July 1919

ITEM 4
William Alfred Smith photographs, [ca. 1916]

Copyright status:: In copyright - applies to diaries in this collection
Research & study copies allowed: Author has been deceased for more than 50 years
Copyright holder:: State Library of New South Wales
Rights and Restrictions Information:: No publication without prior written approval of copyright holder
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

State Library of New South Wales collection of World War I diaries