Year of birth: 1885

Place of birth: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Profession: Gardener

Country: Australia

Force: Australian Imperial Force

Rank: Lance Corporal

Service number: 501

Enlistment date: 28/02/1916

Enlistment place: Claremont, Tasmania, Australia

Units:  —  Australian Infantry, 40th Bn.  (Last known unit)

Date of death: 12/10/1917

Place of death: Berlin Wood, Belgium

Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.)

Age: 32

British War Medal Medal

Victory Medal Medal

Lance Corporal Charles Edward Smith served in the Australian Infantry 40th Battalion “B” Company, part of the 10th Australian Brigade of the 3rd Australian Division. The Battalion participated in the Battle of Broodseinde on the 4th of October 1917. On the 6th of October 1917, the Battalion stayed at Vlamerthinge. On the following day, preliminary orders were received for a further attack during the next few days. At 7.15 a.m. on the 10th of October, the Battalion left Vlamertinghe and moved through Ypres. They took bivouac among some shell holes between Dragoon- and Hussar Farms, close to the Zonnebeke-road at Potijze. On the 12th of October 1917, the Battalion participated in the Battle of Passchendaele. The final objective of this attack was the village of Passchendaele and to form a new line, known as the Green Line. The 3rd Australian Division attacked with, the 9th Brigade on the right, and the 10th Brigade on the left. The 10th Brigade dispositions were as follows: The 37th Bn. had to take the first objective, known as the Red Line. The 40th Bn. had to take the second objective, known as the Blue Line. The 38th Bn. had to take Passchendaele and advance to the final objective, known as the Green Line. The 39th Bn. was in reserve. The left boundary of the area allotted to the 10th Brigade was the Ravebeek stream and the right boundary was a line through the south edge of Augustus Wood to a point 300 yards south of the Passchendaele Church. At 9 p.m. the Battalion left bivouac and went to the jump-off line near the road from Belle Vue to Keerselaarhoek, following coordinate: 28 D 10 d 45.45. The headquarter was situated in Berlin Wood. At 3.30 a.m., the Battalion reached the assembly position near the jump-off line. Zero hour had been fixed at 5.25 a.m. About 4.30 a.m. the Germans started shelling the assembly position. The shelling continued until the very start of the attack. At zero hour, the allied barrage opened and the Battalion went forward. Simultaneously with the attack, the Brigade suffered casualties of German machine gun fire and an artillery barrage. The three Battalions (37th, 38th and 40th) pushed towards the first objective, the red line. In the first 200 yards, each company suffered several casualties. “B” Company suffered casualties due to German machine gun fire from the left, coming from Belle Vue Spur and from Augustus Wood. The Company entered Augustus wood from the right and were able to capture a pillbox and 20 prisoners. “B” Company became scattered over the battlefield during the advance up to the first objective and Haalen Wood. At 7 a.m. the first objective was reached. On the right flank the 40th Battalion was in touch with the 9th Brigade, who had advanced up to the second objective. The position of the Battalion came under heavy German machine gun- and shell fire. Under these circumstances it was decided to dig a line and remain on the Red Line. Around noon, a conference was held with all the officers of the Brigade. They decided to withdraw and to take up a defensive position. The conference was held due to the difficulty to communicate during the attack. The withdrawal commenced at 1.45 p.m. and was spread over an hour and a half. During the withdrawal, the Battalion suffered casualties due to German shell fire. By 3.30 p.m. the withdrawal was complete. The defensive position ran from Augustus Wood to the Belle Vue – Keerselaarhoek road. The remains of Lance Corporal Charles Smith were found at coordinate 28. D. 10 c. 20.20 behind the jumping off line near Berlin Wood, where the headquarter was located.

"The Fortieth, A Record of the 40th Battalion, A.L.F.", Green F.C, Sandhurst, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, 1922, pg. 84-93. Sources used

"The Third Ypres Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C., London, Arms & Armour Press, 1995, pg. 113-115. Sources used

A.I.F. Project https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=278582 Sources used

Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/people/roll-search/all/?preferred_name=&service_number=&unit=&conflict=0&op=Search Sources used

CWGC http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/464655/SMITH,%20CHARLES%20EDWARD Sources used

National Archives of Australia http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SearchScreens/BasicSearch.aspx Sources used

The Long, Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/ Sources used

War Diary, 40th Australian Battalion https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RCDIG1000398/ Sources used