The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of Lieutenant Eric Wilkes Talbot Smith, 10th Battalion (Infantry), First World War

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Charis May, the story for this day was on Lieutenant Eric Wilkes Talbot Smith, 10th Battalion (Infantry), First World War.

Lieutenant Eric Wilkes Talbot Smith, 10th Battalion
DOW 30 April 1915
Photograph: H05794

Story delivered 7 October 2013

Today we remember and pay tribute to Lieutenant Eric Wilkes Talbot Smith.

Born in Adelaide on 28 April 1892 to a prominent solicitor, Smith was in the first intake of officers at Duntroon Military College who were rushed through to graduate when the First World War was declared. Smith was made a Lieutenant in the 10th Battalion, which was part of the Australian Imperial Force's 3rd Brigade.

Smith was among the first men ashore on Gallipoli at around 4.30 am on 25 April 1915 as part of the covering force for the ANZAC landing. He had been ordered to find and destroy a battery of Turkish guns as soon as his boat landed at Ari Burnu. According to official historian Charles Bean's account of the day, Smith raced across the beach with 32 scouts from the 10th Battalion and climbed up a scrub-covered slope, yelling, "Come on boys, they can't hit you!"

Smith was reportedly foremost in the bayonet charge that drove the Turks from the first hill, and captured several machine guns. He then took charge of his own battalion's machine guns and continued to fire until shrapnel burst overhead. All of his section were either killed or wounded. Smith had severe head wounds and was thought to be dead, but the next morning he was discovered to be alive. He was evacuated to Alexandria in Egypt, but died there on 30 April, just two days after his 23rd birthday. He was Mentioned in Despatches for his bravery.

The officer commanding the 10th Battalion wrote, "I have no hesitation in reporting that no officer of my Battalion displayed greater bravery in the face of the enemy than Lieutenant Talbot Smith."

The name of Lieutenant Eric Wilkes Talbot Smith is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, along with around 60,000 others from the First World War. His photograph is displayed beside the Pool of Reflection. Smith's story is also featured in the Memorial's new exhibition Salute: Canberra's military heritage, which has been produced as part of this year's Centenary of Canberra celebrations.

This is but one of the many stories of courage and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Lieutenant Eric Smith and all those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.