SAPPER JAMES MUNRO SMITH
1177 – 3rd Tunnelling Company
James Munro Smith stated he was born in Montrose, Forfarshire, Scotland about 1878 the son of Alexander Stewart Smith (mother’s name unknown). His father was a member of the Royal Highlanders. James said he had served twelve years and 305 days with the R.G.A. (Royal Garrison Artillery) until his time expired. An apprenticeship was served of five years in Montrose under J.J. Henry as a joiner. He came to Western Australia and was working for the Railway at Katanning. In 1913 he was a mill hand at the Wellington Mill in the Forrest District, W.A.
At the recruiting depot in Katanning in November, 1915 he applied to enlist for active service abroad and passed the preliminary medical examination. At Blackboy Hill camp, near Perth on December 3, 1915 the thirty-seven year old joiner passed the final medical and Attestation forms were completed which describe him as 172cms (5ft 7¾ins) tall, weighing 69kgs (152lbs) with a chest expansion of 89-95cms (35-37½ins). Complexion was fair with blue eyes and brown hair. Religion was Presbyterian. With no relatives living there was no next-of-kin nominated but later Mrs Mary Matchett, 10 Leigham Street, Selwyn Hotel, Plymouth, England was named in lieu. He was sworn in the next day. Basic training commenced with the 37th Depot Battalion until December 15, 1915.
Recruiting for the Miners’ Corps officially began on December 1st, 1915 therefore Private Smith was placed for basic training at the Helena Vale camp at Blackboy Hill, W.A. with the newly forming Corps on December 16. The Unit’s title was the No. 3 Company with a major portion of No. 3 Company recruited by 2nd Lt. L.J. Coulter, A.I.F. who was sent from N.S.W. to W.A. for that purpose. They were made up to strength with 1 Officer and 274 Other Ranks and embarked from Fremantle, W.A.
On December 18, 1915 the company sailed for Sydney, NSW on board the troopship SS Indarra. His name appears on the passenger list which was published in:
On Boxing Day (Dec 26th), 1915 the Unit arrived in Sydney and marched into Casula Camp, near Liverpool, NSW. They were joined by the 4th Section of the Tasmanian Miners, bringing the establishment strength up to 15 officers and 349 Other Ranks under the command of 2nd Lieutenant L.J. Coulter.
Mining Corps Units from all Military districts came together at Casula camp, near Liverpool, NSW to complete training as a Corps. Smith was assigned the regimental number 1177 in the rank of Sapper and remained in No. 3 Company until the day before embarkation then assigned as a Driver.
At a civic parade in the Domain, Sydney on Saturday February 19, 1916, a large crowd of relations and friends of the departing Miners lined the four sides of the parade ground. Sixty police and 100 Garrison Military Police were on hand to keep the crowds within bounds. The scene was an inspiriting one. On the extreme right flank, facing the saluting base, were companies of the Rifle Club School; next came a detachment of the 4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, then the bands of the Light Horse, Liverpool Depot, and the Miners’ on the left, rank upon rank, the Miners’ Battalion.
The Corps boarded HMAT A38 Ulysses in Sydney, NSW on February 20 and sailed for the European theatre. Arriving in Melbourne, Victoria on February 22 the Miners camped at Broadmeadows for a stay of 7 days while further cargo was loaded.
Another parade was held at the Broadmeadows camp on March 1, the Miners’ Corps being inspected by the Governor-General, as Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth military forces. Leaving Melbourne on March 1, Ulysses arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on March 7 where a further 53 members were taken on board.
On Wednesday March 8, 1916 the whole force, with their band and equipment, paraded at Fremantle prior to leaving Victoria Quay at 9.30 o’clock.
The ship hit a reef when leaving Fremantle harbour, stripping the plates for 40 feet and, although there was a gap in the outside plate, the inner bilge plates were not punctured. The men on board nicknamed her ‘Useless’. The Miners were off-loaded and sent to the Blackboy Hill Camp where further training was conducted.
The Mining Corps comprised 1303 members at the time they embarked with a Headquarters of 40; No.1 Company – 390; No.2 Company – 380; No.3 Company – 392, and 101 members of the 1st Reinforcements.
Finally departing Fremantle on April 1, Ulysses voyaged via Suez, Port Said and Alexandria in Egypt. The Captain of the shipwas reluctantto take Ulysses out of the Suez Canal because he felt the weight of the ship made it impossible to manoeuvre in the situation of a submarine attack. The troops were transhipped to HM Transport B.1 Ansonia, then on to Valetta, Malta before disembarking at Marseilles, France on May 5, 1916. As a unit they entrained at Marseilles on May 7 and detrained on May 11 at Hazebrouck.
A ‘Mining Corps’ did not fit in the British Expeditionary Force, and the Corps was disbanded and three Australian Tunnelling Companies were formed. The Technical Staff of the Corps Headquarters, plus some technically qualified men from the individual companies, was formed into the entirely new Australian Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring Company (AEMMBC), better known as the ‘Alphabetical Company’.
Four sections of the No. 3 Company were dispersed to various sectors for instructional training. Driver Smith was assigned to No. 4 Section who were attached to the 254th Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers on May 13, 1916.
The No. 3 Company was officially transferred to the 3rd Tunnelling Company in the field on December 18, 1916.
In the Unit Diary of the 3rd Tunnelling Company his name was listed in Company Headquarters as follows:
“10/3/17COMPANY HEADQUARTERS – OTHER RANKS
ESTABLISHMENTNO & NAMERANK
HORSE TRANSPT 1177 Smith, J.M. DRIVER”
His service continued without incident until on July 26, 1917 Driver Smith was wounded in action receiving a slight gunshot wound to his neck just below his jaw but remained on duty.
He was sent on September 2, 1917 to the 16th Field Ambulance with dental caries then transferred to the 1st Casualty Clearing Station and four days later entered the 4th Stationary Hospital at Arques for further treatment. He was discharged to duty on September 17 and rejoined his unit.
Disciplinary action was taken for the following:
Crime:W.O.A.S. [While on Active Service] Drunk 21/10/17
Award:Fined 2/6 by O.C.
He was issued with three Blue Chevrons to wear on his uniform on February 20, 1918 for serving two years abroad.
Leave was granted from France on August 18. Four days later in the Church of England Church in Stoke Climsland, Cornwall after Banns, James (39) married Annie Sleeman (37) spinster daughter of John Sleeman, farm labourer, by the Rector Charles B. Walters.
He rejoined his unit on September 2, 1918 and next-of-kin changed to his wife Mrs Annie Smith of The Village, Stoke Climsland, Callington, Cornwall.
He was with his unit when Peace was declared and the Tunnelling Companies remained on the front as part of the Army of Occupation assisting with the rehabilitation of their district and defusing booby traps from roads and bridges left by the enemy.
Orders were received on February 2, 1919 to prepare for demobilisation and return to the Aust General Base Depot where they departed on February 21. After crossing the English Channel they marched into the Reserve Brigade Aust Artillery Demobilisation camp at Heytesbury the next day. A day later Driver went sick to the Group Clearing Hospital and returned to camp on February 28.
On March 19, 1919 Driver marched out to the No. 3 Group Camp in Codford remaining until March 27 when he was transferred to the 1st Training Camp at Sutton Veny. On April 8 he went to No. 2 Group camp.
Driver Smith was granted Non-Military Employment (NME) with pay and subsistence to study farming (1D2) under instruction from D. Annand of Home Farm, Stoke Climsford, Cornwall from May 6 until August 12, 1919.
He was taken on strength with A.I.F. Headquarters, London from May 6 until he reported back to Headquarters on August 12, 1919 and was granted indefinite leave from August 27.
On October 10, 1919 he was taken on strength at Sutton Veny from A.I.F. Headquarters but remained on indefinite leave. After demobilisation arrangements had been made to return to Australia on the transport Cap Verde but this was changed to the Ypiringa and although not noted, would have been accompanied by his wife. He embarked on November 25, 1919 for Australia.
News of the arriving soldiers was published in the:
The ship docked at Fremantle (5th Military District) on December 26, 1919.
The next day at No. 8 Aust General Hospital, Fremantle he appeared before the Disembarkation Medical Board and found with the disability of bronchitis which began in France in June, 1918. Essential facts taken were:
Gassed June, 1918. 5 days off duty.
G.S.W. front of neck. Not off duty. No disability now.
Bronchitis following “gas” June, 1918. Admitted No. 8 A.G.H. with bronchitis 16/3/1920
(sgd) J.M. Smith
(a) aggravated by military service (b,c,d) No.
Present condition:
Cough, Dyspnoea, morning sputum, ½ stone below normal weight, harsh breathing,
No moist sounds, Heart sounds clear. Poor appetite. Sleeps well. Feels weak.
Medical officer’s note
Record of alcoholic excess some months ago.
Medical opinions:
Disability (a) aggravated by Military Service
Disability not permanent
Improvement with time
Unfit for general service – yes
Discharge not recommended
Driver Smith was re-boarded before the Medical Board on account of re-admission to hospital under Circular 82728.
The following was issued by the Medical Board on March 6, 1920 at No. 8 A.G.H., Fremantle:
(1)Gassed June, 1918. 2/52 in Hospital. Returned to Duty.
G.S.W. neck just below jaw. No disability now.
No further injury or sickness
(2)Deviated Septum. Operation in No. 8 A.G.H.
(sgd) J.M. Smith
(a) aggravated by military service (b,c.d.) No.
Present condition:
Cough, morning phlegm, dyspnoea on exertion, ½ stone below normal weight, general
Harsh breathing, residue of bronchitis, no moist sounds.
Heart sounds clear.
Disability is an injury – yes
Recommendation for discharge – yes
Medical opinions:
Disability (a) aggravated by Military Service
Disability not permanent
Improvement with time
Labour market – 20% of full capacity
Unfit for general service – yes
Discharge recommended
A copy of his Will was returned to the 5th Military District on February 16, 1920.
Military Discharge was to be issued in Perth on February 24, 1920 on termination of his period of enlistment but was amended and issued on May 13, 1920 as medically unfit.
On July 1, 1920 and inquiry from the Finance Office was sent to Base Records as to what district did the former soldier belong to. A memo the next day stated he was discharged in the 5th Military District
For serving his country the British War Medal (8228) and the Victory Medal (8193) were issued to Driver 1177 James Munro Smith.
In proceedings of the Fremantle Police Court in 1924 the following was reported in the:
On April 29, 1940 his Returned Service Badge (127928) was returned to Base Records from the 5th Military District and placed in to storage.
© Donna Baldey 2016