ALEXANDER SMITH
Regimental No. 59469
24 APRIL 1897 – 25 MAY 1918
Alexander Smith was born in Townsville, Australia on 24 April 1897, eldest son of Knox Homan and Annie (nee Hannan) Smith who had both been born in Ireland. In 1902 Knox and Annie left Australia with their 3 children – Alex aged 5, Jean Moore aged 3 and Margaret Mary, known as May, aged 1. Their father had a carrying business and the family first lived in Roseneath, Wellington where another 3 children were born - Eileen (1903), Thomas James Forsyth (1905) and John Cinnick (1907). Eileen and Thomas died young in 1906 and 1907 respectively. Alex, Jean and May attended Roseneath School until May 1908 when the family moved Brooklyn, first to Ohiro Road and then to 44 Washington Avenue. After moving to Brooklyn Knox and Annie had another 3 children James Forsyth (1909), Annie Elizabeth born and died 1911 and Gordon Leslie (1913).
Alexander attended Brooklyn School where he attained the Proficiency Certificate and left in December 1911. He then attended Wellington Boys’ College for 2 years 1912-1913.
After leaving school in 1913 Alexander became a clerk and worked for Joseph Nathan & Co. in Wellington until he enlisted in the army at the Town Hall, Wellington on 28 April 1917. He was given the regimental number 59469. His ‘apparent age’ was 20 years; he was 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighed 122 pounds. He had fair complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair. His religion was Presbyterian. His medical report said he had slight flat feet and a heart defect for which he had been treated 3 years prior and laid up for 3 months, yet these were not sufficient to cause rejection for the services.
Alexander was with B Company of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, leaving Wellington with HMNZT 92 aboard the “Ruahine” on 15 August 1917 and disembarking at Glasgow on 2 October 1917. He was in training at Sling on the Salisbury Plain for only 2 weeks before being sent to France. Three times he was admitted to the field hospital in France with unspecified sickness; the first being just after Christmas of 1917 when he spent 5 days in the field hospital before rejoining his unit on 2 January 1918. He was again admitted to hospital in the field on 21 March 1918 for 3 weeks with a wound to his ankle. After returning to his unit for only 2 weeks he was once again in the field hospital for 2 days from 3rd May.
22 days later, on the 25th May, while serving as a rifleman with B Company of the 4th Battalion, 3rd Rifle Brigade, Alexander was killed in action at a place called Hebuterne. Hebuterne is a farming village situated 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Arras. For most of WW1 it was in the front line of the Western Front with Allied troops in trenches on the east of the village facing Imperial German Army troops less than a kilometer distant around the village of Gommecourt. Rossignol Wood is also nearby.
Alexander had only just turned 21. His body was never found or specifically identified, so his name is on the Grevillers (New Zealand) Memorial in the Grevillers British Cemetery.
“The Memorial commemorates almost 450 officers and men of the New Zealand Division who died in the defensive fighting in the area from March to August 1918, and in the Advance to Victory between 8 August and 11 November 1918, and who have no known grave.
This is one of seven memorials in France and Belgium to those New Zealand soldiers who died on the Western Front and whose graves are not known. The memorials are all in cemeteries chosen as appropriate to the fighting in which the men died.”
Alexander was entitled to the British War and the Victory medals and these were sent to his father who was still living at 44 Washington Avenue in 1922.
Alexander is commemorated in Wellington on the Brooklyn and Wellington College war memorials.
Research undertaken by Ann Walker with supplementary material provided by Barbara Mulligan.
Regimental No. 59469
24 APRIL 1897 – 25 MAY 1918
Alexander Smith was born in Townsville, Australia on 24 April 1897, eldest son of Knox Homan and Annie (nee Hannan) Smith who had both been born in Ireland. In 1902 Knox and Annie left Australia with their 3 children – Alex aged 5, Jean Moore aged 3 and Margaret Mary, known as May, aged 1. Their father had a carrying business and the family first lived in Roseneath, Wellington where another 3 children were born - Eileen (1903), Thomas James Forsyth (1905) and John Cinnick (1907). Eileen and Thomas died young in 1906 and 1907 respectively. Alex, Jean and May attended Roseneath School until May 1908 when the family moved Brooklyn, first to Ohiro Road and then to 44 Washington Avenue. After moving to Brooklyn Knox and Annie had another 3 children James Forsyth (1909), Annie Elizabeth born and died 1911 and Gordon Leslie (1913).
Alexander attended Brooklyn School where he attained the Proficiency Certificate and left in December 1911. He then attended Wellington Boys’ College for 2 years 1912-1913.
After leaving school in 1913 Alexander became a clerk and worked for Joseph Nathan & Co. in Wellington until he enlisted in the army at the Town Hall, Wellington on 28 April 1917. He was given the regimental number 59469. His ‘apparent age’ was 20 years; he was 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighed 122 pounds. He had fair complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair. His religion was Presbyterian. His medical report said he had slight flat feet and a heart defect for which he had been treated 3 years prior and laid up for 3 months, yet these were not sufficient to cause rejection for the services.
Alexander was with B Company of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, leaving Wellington with HMNZT 92 aboard the “Ruahine” on 15 August 1917 and disembarking at Glasgow on 2 October 1917. He was in training at Sling on the Salisbury Plain for only 2 weeks before being sent to France. Three times he was admitted to the field hospital in France with unspecified sickness; the first being just after Christmas of 1917 when he spent 5 days in the field hospital before rejoining his unit on 2 January 1918. He was again admitted to hospital in the field on 21 March 1918 for 3 weeks with a wound to his ankle. After returning to his unit for only 2 weeks he was once again in the field hospital for 2 days from 3rd May.
22 days later, on the 25th May, while serving as a rifleman with B Company of the 4th Battalion, 3rd Rifle Brigade, Alexander was killed in action at a place called Hebuterne. Hebuterne is a farming village situated 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Arras. For most of WW1 it was in the front line of the Western Front with Allied troops in trenches on the east of the village facing Imperial German Army troops less than a kilometer distant around the village of Gommecourt. Rossignol Wood is also nearby.
Alexander had only just turned 21. His body was never found or specifically identified, so his name is on the Grevillers (New Zealand) Memorial in the Grevillers British Cemetery.
“The Memorial commemorates almost 450 officers and men of the New Zealand Division who died in the defensive fighting in the area from March to August 1918, and in the Advance to Victory between 8 August and 11 November 1918, and who have no known grave.
This is one of seven memorials in France and Belgium to those New Zealand soldiers who died on the Western Front and whose graves are not known. The memorials are all in cemeteries chosen as appropriate to the fighting in which the men died.”
Alexander was entitled to the British War and the Victory medals and these were sent to his father who was still living at 44 Washington Avenue in 1922.
Alexander is commemorated in Wellington on the Brooklyn and Wellington College war memorials.
Research undertaken by Ann Walker with supplementary material provided by Barbara Mulligan.