The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (4883) Private Arthur Herbert Smith, 54th Battalion, AIF, 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 Dennis Stockman, the story for this day was on (4883) Private Arthur Herbert Smith, 54th Battalion, AIF, first World War.

4883 Private Arthur Herbert Smith, 54th Battalion, AIF
DOW 15 May 1917

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Arthur Herbert Smith.

Arthur Smith was born in 1894 in Moree, New South Wales, to Thomas and Mary Ann Smith: one of their eight children. Arthur grew up in the local area and attended the local school. He went on to work as a shearer and labourer in the Moree district. No known photograph of Arthur exists, but from the records we know he was reasonably tall at 5’ 8”, and was of a very slight build with black hair and brown eyes.

Arthur’s first attempt to enlist early in the war was rejected as he did not meet the physical standard at the time – his chest measurement was too small. Turning 21 in 1915, he tried again and was accepted, enlisting in Moree on the 19th of August. His elder brothers William and John also joined up in 1915, as well as younger brother Albert, in early 1916.

Arthur was assigned to the 2nd Infantry Battalion, and allotted to C Company for training. The 2nd had recently been fighting at Lone Pine on Gallipoli, and after suffering heavy casualties, needed reinforcement. Yet Arthur remained in Australia, training for some months until finally departing for Egypt on 8 March 1916, aboard the troopship Star of England.

In April, Arthur was transferred to the newly-formed 54th Infantry Battalion, then stationed at Ferry Post, guarding the Suez Canal. Most of the men with whom he had trained and journeyed overseas joined him in his new unit. In June they were sent to the Western Front, arriving in northern France in early July.

Arthur’s first battle later that month was dreadful: the infamous attack at Fromelles, where the 54th suffered heavy casualties and the Australian 5th Division some 5,500 casualties in 24 hours. Somehow, Arthur Smith survived.

During the bitterly cold and wet winter of 1916 and 1917, Arthur remained with his battalion, serving on the Somme. He was one of many who suffered trench foot, which required two weeks in hospital to recover from.

Returning to his unit just before year’s end, Arthur battled on through the sea of mud into the spring of 1917 as the Germans retreated to the heavily fortified Hindenburg Line. After weeks of heavy fighting around Bullecourt, Arthur and the 54th were sent into action in mid-May to hold the hard-won trenches. A fellow digger described it as “a hellish part of the line”.

It was there that fate caught up with young Arthur Smith. In the early morning of 15 May, the Germans made a last-ditch attempt to recapture this part of line near Bullecourt. Unfortunately the 54th was directly in the path of the attack, and were subjected to the most intense artillery bombardment they had ever experienced. With the help of men from the neighbouring London Regiment, the Australians managed to counter-attack and repulse the Germans, but at considerable cost. The 54th suffered almost 300 casualties in just a few hours’ desperate fighting.

One of those casualties was Arthur Smith, who was severely wounded in the shoulder and thigh during the bombardment. He died later that day at the 29th Casualty Clearing Station and was later buried at Grévillers British Cemetery. He was 23 years old.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among almost 62,000 Australians who died while serving in the First World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private Arthur Smith, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Craig Tibbitts
Historian, Military History Section