Sgt
Bernard Arthur Smith
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 24/10/1886 |
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Place of birth: Winchester, Canterbury, New Zealand |
General information
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Profession: Railway Porter |
Army information
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Country: New Zealand |
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Force: New Zealand Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Sergeant |
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Service number: 10/3741 |
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Enlistment date: 04/09/1915 |
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Enlistment place: Trentham, Wellington, New Zealand |
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Units: — Canterbury Regiment, 1st Bn. |
Information about death
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Date of death: 11/12/1917 |
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Place of death: Noordemdhoek, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 31 |
Cemetery
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Polygon Wood Cemetery Plot: / Row: D Grave: 16 |
Distinctions and medals 3
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1914-15 Star Medal |
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place |
My story
Sergeant Bernard Arthur Smith Bernard Smith was born in the small town of Winchester, Canterbury, New Zealand on 24 October 1886, to George and Josephine Smith. He had one brother, George Arthur Edward Smith, born in 1889.
In 1914 Bernard worked for New Zealand Railways, at Frankton, Waikato, a large railway settlement near Hamilton. On the outbreak of war he joined the Samoan Expeditionary Force in the railway engineers group, service number 4/223. He served from 11 August 1914 until March 1915 when he returned to New Zealand suffering from hernia. He was discharged on 19 March 1915. When he re-enlisted on 4 September 1915 he was working as a railway porter in Hikurangi, North Auckland. He joined the 9th Reinforcement, service number 10/3741. He trained at Trentham and Tauherenikau camps before embarking on the troop ship Maunganui on 8 January 1916. He was promoted to sergeant on board before arriving in Egypt on 12 February. Bernard was posted to 2nd Battalion, Wellington Infantry Regiment on 7 March 1916 and trained in Egypt. He was promoted corporal on 6 May 1916 before sailing to England on 29 May. Reverting to the ranks he did further training at Sling Camp, England. He was posted to the School of Musketry at Hayling Island near Plymouth on 16 October 1916, passing out ‘1st class’ three weeks later. He also received promotion to sergeant in October, becoming part of the training staff in April 1917. He sailed to France on 23 July 1917 and was posted to the 2nd Company, 1st Canterbury Battalion in August.
It is not known if he took part in the October 12 fighting near Passchendaele. If he did, he survived without being wounded. His battalion suffered 379 casualties in the battle. After the Third Battle of Ypres the New Zealand Division held the line in and around Polygon Wood. In early December the Division wanted to improve its positions and tried to take the heights round Polderhoek Chateau. The 1st Canterbury Battalion was part of the assaulting force on 3 December 1917 in this mainly unsuccessful attack. The Division’s battalions relieved each other in the Polygon Wood sector, the main work being improving defences, repairing trenches and wire. The landscape was water-filled shell holes. The Germans had observation over much of the area so any movement was shelled or machine-gunned. On 9/10 December the 1st Canterbury Battalion took over the Judge Cross Roads sector near Noordemdhoek.
The regimental history does not give much detail for this period so it is difficult to say how Bernard Smith was killed on 11 December 1917. Bernard was possibly mortally wounded between Joiners Rest and Judge Cottage. He was buried in Crucifix Cemetery near Polygon Butte; He is now in the same area at Polygon Wood Cemetery, Row D, Grave 16. Bernnard’s brother George, service number 24/286, had previously been killed on 15 September 1916 during the Battle of the Somme.
In 1914 Bernard worked for New Zealand Railways, at Frankton, Waikato, a large railway settlement near Hamilton. On the outbreak of war he joined the Samoan Expeditionary Force in the railway engineers group, service number 4/223. He served from 11 August 1914 until March 1915 when he returned to New Zealand suffering from hernia. He was discharged on 19 March 1915. When he re-enlisted on 4 September 1915 he was working as a railway porter in Hikurangi, North Auckland. He joined the 9th Reinforcement, service number 10/3741. He trained at Trentham and Tauherenikau camps before embarking on the troop ship Maunganui on 8 January 1916. He was promoted to sergeant on board before arriving in Egypt on 12 February. Bernard was posted to 2nd Battalion, Wellington Infantry Regiment on 7 March 1916 and trained in Egypt. He was promoted corporal on 6 May 1916 before sailing to England on 29 May. Reverting to the ranks he did further training at Sling Camp, England. He was posted to the School of Musketry at Hayling Island near Plymouth on 16 October 1916, passing out ‘1st class’ three weeks later. He also received promotion to sergeant in October, becoming part of the training staff in April 1917. He sailed to France on 23 July 1917 and was posted to the 2nd Company, 1st Canterbury Battalion in August.
It is not known if he took part in the October 12 fighting near Passchendaele. If he did, he survived without being wounded. His battalion suffered 379 casualties in the battle. After the Third Battle of Ypres the New Zealand Division held the line in and around Polygon Wood. In early December the Division wanted to improve its positions and tried to take the heights round Polderhoek Chateau. The 1st Canterbury Battalion was part of the assaulting force on 3 December 1917 in this mainly unsuccessful attack. The Division’s battalions relieved each other in the Polygon Wood sector, the main work being improving defences, repairing trenches and wire. The landscape was water-filled shell holes. The Germans had observation over much of the area so any movement was shelled or machine-gunned. On 9/10 December the 1st Canterbury Battalion took over the Judge Cross Roads sector near Noordemdhoek.
The regimental history does not give much detail for this period so it is difficult to say how Bernard Smith was killed on 11 December 1917. Bernard was possibly mortally wounded between Joiners Rest and Judge Cottage. He was buried in Crucifix Cemetery near Polygon Butte; He is now in the same area at Polygon Wood Cemetery, Row D, Grave 16. Bernnard’s brother George, service number 24/286, had previously been killed on 15 September 1916 during the Battle of the Somme.
Sources 3
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Archives New Zealand https://archway.archives.govt.nz Sources used |
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Ferguson David, The history of the Canterbury Regiment, NZEF 1914-1919, (Auckland, Whitcombe & Tombs Ltd, 1921), pg. 218-223. Sources used |
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New Zealand births deaths marriages https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz Sources used |
More information 5
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/480068 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=fae096b8-caef-4745-805f-0dfa4435f4b7 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7183179 |
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The NZEF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://nzef.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=236405 |
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Online Cenotaph (Auckland Museum) https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C14586 |