Bernard Mathew Smith

First Name: 
Bernard
Middle Name: 
Mathew
Last Name: 
Smith
Date Enlisted: 
Wednesday, January 19, 1916
Rank at Enlistment: 
Private
Rank at Discharge: 
Private
Unit: 
19th Battalion
Service: 
Infantry
Awards: 
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Date of Death: 
Thursday, May 3, 1917
Place of Death: 
France
Cause of Death: 
Killed in action
Details: 

Bernard Mathew Smith (Service No 4764) was born in Sydney, N.S.W., around 1898.

At enlistment he was 18 years old, single, worked as an asphalter and lived in Corrimal, N.S.W.

His parents are unknown but his brother, David Smith (Service No 2203), had been killed in action at Lone Pine, Turkey, a few months before.

Bernard embarked on HMAT A40 Ceramic, with the 19th Battalion, 12th Reinforcements on 13th April 1916. He arrived in England on 7th June 1916 and joined the 19th Battalion in France on 26th September 1916. 

Bernard saw service on the Western Front during the terrible winter of 16/17 and was killed in action on 3rd May 1917. The circumstances are unknown, and like his brother he has no known grave.

He is remembered with honour on the Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux, France.

Sources: 
NAA: B2455, SMITH B M