Labourer Arthur Smith served in the AIF for almost three years, including more than two years on the Western Front before he was killed in action on 24 June 1918.
On enlistment at Holsworthy on 29 August 1915, Smith declared he had been born in the Sydney suburb of Lidcombe, that he was ’21 years 9 months old’ and that he was married to Eileen Mary Smith of Vaughan Street, Lidcombe. His date of embarkation is not recorded but it is known that he arrived in Egypt after 31 December 1915 for Smith was not awarded the 1914-1915 Star. From Alexandria Smith travelled on the Transylvania to Marseilles, arriving at the French port on 4 April 1916. A troop-train journey took Smith to the north of France where he was taken on strength of the 3rd Battalion, 1st Australian Division on 18 May 1916.
Over the next two years Arthur Smith survived all the major battles of the 1st Australian Division, Pozières, Bullecourt, Third Battle of Ypres, though he was wounded at Bullecourt and spent a month recovering in a military hospital in Rouen. Private Smith had two crimes recorded, hesitating to obey an order from his superior officer and creating a disturbance in a billet but these must have been minor for Smith was promoted to Lance Corporal and then Corporal. Smith enjoyed 14 days leave in the UK in August 1917. Returning to Belgium then France, Corporal Smith attended several infantry brigade schools.
At the time when Corporal Smith was killed in action, 24 June 1918, all Australian divisions except the 1st had moved south to the Somme valley to protect the city of Amiens from the German offensive launched in March 1918. The 1st Australian Division had gone south to Amiens but were immediately ordered back to the north to defend Hazebrouck and it is here that Smith was killed in action. Corporal Smith was buried in La Kreule Military Cemetery on the edge of Hazebrouck.
The photo-montage honour roll in Auburn Public School makes a rare error in recording the place of death as Hamel, a village more than 100 km south-east of Hazebrouck.
Arthur Smith is honoured on the following memorials in Australia
Lidcombe War Memorial
St Stephens Anglican Church Lidcombe Memorial Plaques
Auburn Public School First World War Honour Roll
Auburn Old Boys Public School Great War Honour Roll
Roll of Honour Australian War Memorial Canberra