Private Harold Smith
18th Battalion, AIF
Service number: 1255
Born: 19 May 1895, Blayney, NSW
Died: 27 August 1915, Gallipoli
Harold Bathurst Smith, the youngest son of the Hon. Sydney Smith and Sarah Jane (nee Hockey), was born on 19 May 1895 at Blayney, NSW. His father was a member of the first Commonwealth Parliament as Freetrade Member for Macquarie (Bathurst region). Harold was educated at Penrith Public School and Cleveland St High School Sydney. Before enlisting, Harold was apprenticed as an engineer at the Clyde Engineering Company.
Harold was granted leave from the Clyde Engineering Company to join the Field Engineers. He enlisted instead with the 18th Battalion raised at Liverpool in March 1915. The battalion left Sydney on 25 June 1915 aboard A40 HMAT Ceramic and training in Egypt until mid-August. The battalion landed on 22 August 1915 on the Gallipoli peninsula and was immediately committed to the attack on Hill 60, the last operation of the August Offensive. According to a fellow soldier, Private Daly, ‘Lal’ Smith was wounded in the head by a bomb shortly after leaving the trench for the assault on Hill 60 on 27 August 1915. He was carried by stretcher to the dressing station and died later.
Memorial Details:
- Lone Pine Cemetery, Gallipoli, Turkey
- Roll of Honor, Memory Park
- Roll of Honor, St Stephen’s Church of England, Penrith
Sources:
- National Archives of Australia: B2455, SMITH H B
- Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour
- Australian Red Cross Society Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau File no 2550301
- Australian War Memorial First World War Nominal Roll
- Penrith City Library Biography files
Jacqui Christensen (nee Smith) for providing biographical details of Harold Bathurst Smith.
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