SMITH, James
(Service number )
Here he is pictured with his family (from left to right):
Standing: Edward, Pauline, and Melville;
Front row: James, Jessie, and Neville. (Courtesy of P & L Smith )
| First Rank | Last Rank |
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Birth
| Date | 06/04/1881 | Place of Birth | Timaru |
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Enlistment Information
| Date | Age | ||
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| Address at Enlistment | |||
| Occupation | Farmer | ||
| Previous Military Experience | |||
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| Next of Kin | |||
Military Service
| Served with | New Zealand Armed Forces (?) | Served in |
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Embarkation Information
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| Unit, Squadron, or Ship | |||
| Date | |||
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| Embarked From | Destination | ||
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| Last Unit Served With | |||
Military Awards
| Campaigns | |||
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| Service Medals | |||
Award Circumstances and Date
No information
Prisoner of War Information
| Date of Capture | |
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| Where Captured and by Whom | |
| Actions Prior to Capture | |
| PoW Serial Number | |
| PoW Camps | |
| Days Interned | |
| Liberation Date |
Death
| Date | Age | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Death | |||
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| Memorial or Cemetery | |||
| New Zealand Memorials | |||
Biographical Notes
James Smith, known as Jim, was born on 6 April 1881 at Timaru, the eldest son of Scottish-born James Smith and his Irish-born wife, Mary née O’Neill. James and Mary married in 1881 and seven children were born at Timaru. Three more were born in the North Island. James was baptised Roman Catholic on 18 August 1881 at Timaru. His early education was surely at Timaru. His sister Margaret attended Sacred Heart School, Timaru, and both Cornelius and Jane attended Waimataitai School, Timaru, Cornelius having gone there from the Roman Catholic School. At the end of 1894 the family moved to the North Island, settling at Mangaweka, where Mr Smith took up farming, his sons following him. The Rangitikei Advocate of 2 February 1918 carried the news that Private J. Smith, of Kawhatau, was expected to reach his home in a few days, “having just returned from service overseas. He is reported to have suffered from pleurisy and pneumonia.” “MANGAWEKA NOTES.
From Our Own Correspondent. A large number of relatives and friends assembled at the station to meet the late train on Saturday night which brought home two local soldiers in the persons of Ptes. Myles Byrne and Jim Smith, the latter it is understood having served with the Australian Forces. . . . . . . . . As the coach bearing the party drew into the town three rousing cheers were given in honour of the returned warriors. Private Smith left by car for his home across the river. It is announced that a welcome home social to several men who have returned recently will he held in the Oddfellows’ Hall next Friday evening.” (Rangitikei Advocate. 5 February 1918) His brother, John Smith, died of illness on 19 February 1919 in England. Another brother, Cornelius Smith, also served in World War I, with the New Zealand Forces.
Sources
NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [01 October 2020]; Taihape Daily Times, 23 & 24 February 1917, Rangitikei Advocate, 2 & 5 February 1918 (Papers Past) [03 October 2020]; Baptism Index (Christchurch Roman Catholic Diocese CD held by South Canterbury Branch NZSG) [02 October 2020]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [02 & 03 October 2020]
External Links
Related Documents
No documents available.
Researched and Written by
Teresa Scott, SC branch NZSG
Currently Assigned to
Not assigned.
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License unless otherwise stated.