Orders, Decorations and Medals

Pair: Private G. F. E. Smith, 2nd Battalion Australian Imperial Forces, who accidentally drowned, 15 August 1918

British War and Victory Medals (6084 Pte., 2 Bn. A.I.F.) extremely fine (2) £100-140

George Frederick Edgar Smith was born in Wells (given as ’Wales’ on his papers), England. Latterly living in Australia, he was employed as a Farm Hand. He enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force on 20 March 1916, aged 24 years, 10 months. Initially he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion at Cootamundra. On 22 August 1916 he embarked at Sydney aboard the transport Wiltshire as part of the 19th Reinforcements to the 2nd Battalion A.I.F. In October he landed in England and on 13 December he entered France and was soon to join the 2nd Battalion in the field. By February 1917 the battalion, part of the 1st Division A.I.F., were in line around the Thilloy area. In March Smith became incapacitated suffering from diarrhoea and was invalided to England for treatment. Eventually recovering from this debilitating condition, he returned to France in March 1918 and rejoined his battalion at the field. He was soon back in hospital in France, suffering from influenza in June 1918 and septic sores in July. Making a recovery, he returned to his unit on 10 August. Tragedy struck sometime between 10 and 15 August, when Private Smith accidentally drowned in the River Seine at Rouen. He was buried in the St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen. He was the son of George Frederick and Florence Mary Smith of Wells, Norfolk. With copied service papers in folder.