Geboortejaar: 1895

Geboorteplaats: Hammersmith, Middlesex, Engeland, Verenigd Koninkrijk

Laatst gekende woonplaats: Forrest, Victoria, Australië

Beroep: Houtzager

Geloof: Rooms-katholiek

Land: Australië

Strijdmacht: Australian Imperial Force

Rang: Private

Service nummer: 6435

Dienstneming datum: 07/10/1916

Dienstneming plaats: Geelong, Victoria, Australië

Eenheden:  —  Australian Infantry, 22nd Bn. (Victoria)  (Laatst gekende eenheid)

Datum van overlijden: 02/10/1917

Plaats van overlijden: Brick Kiln & Yard, Zonnebeke, België

Doodsoorzaak: Killed in action (K.I.A.)

Leeftijd: 22

British War Medal Medaille

Victory Medal Medaille

James Robert Smith, a former sawyer, was born in February 1895 in Hammersmith, London, England. He was the son of Josephine Smith. He moved to Australia at the age of 18. On October 7, 1916 he enlisted in Geelong, Victoria and embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A20 Hororata on November 23, 1916, with the 18th reinforcement of the 22nd Battalion, part of the 6th Australian Brigade of the 2nd Australian Division.

The 2nd Australian Division participated in the Battle of Broodseinde (October 4, 1917), a phase in the Third Battle of Ypres. The 22nd Battalion was part of the 6th Brigade, which attacked on the right of the divisional front. On October 2 and 3, the 22nd Battalion relieved the 23rd Battalion at the front line in Zonnebeke. During the afternoon of October 2, the Battalion suffered heavy casualties through enemy shell fire.

James Robert, aged 22, was killed in action on October 2, 1917, after he was hit by pieces from a shell. Private Smith was buried where he fell, near Brick Kiln and Road (28.D.27.b.80.50). His remains were not recovered or identified after the war. James Robert Smith has no known grave and is remembered on panel 23D of the Menin Gate Memorial.

22nd Battalion Australian Infantry (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/39/26). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Gebruikte bronnen

6th Brigade Australian Infantry (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/6/26). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Gebruikte bronnen

Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), RCDIG1064166). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Gebruikte bronnen

First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920 (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455). https://www.naa.gov.au/ Gebruikte bronnen

Unit embarkation nominal rolls, 1914-18 War (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM8). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Gebruikte bronnen

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1601194

Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7272653

Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=9153f2db-02fb-4c5d-ae4f-62a15785a913

The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=280648