Over a year ago the Ryde Goes to War project began and volunteers were given various letters of the alphabet to find service personnel from the Ryde district who served in World War 1.I was 'lucky' enough to be given the letters 'J' and 'S'.The names from all the Honour Boards in the area were collected and amongst my list were four Smythes onthe Honour Board at Presbyterian Church of St Andrew, Gladesville. They were recorded as:
SMYTHE, H.E.
HMAT Euripides. On 30 April 1915 at Gallipoli he suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder. He
was killed in action in the second battle of Bullecourt on 3 May 1917.
was Lieutenant in the 24th Btn and won the Military Cross. In October of the same year he was
awarded the Bar. In 1915 his wife's address is “Glenvale” in Morrison Rd Gladesville. He servedalso in World War 11 from September 1939 to July 1946. He died in Port Moresby aged 77 in October 1968.
Gallipoli. He served in France and In March 1917 as Captain he won the Military Cross. In October
1917 he was awarded the Bar. He returned to Australia in December 1918 and died in March 1982.
I had some difficulty finding records of birth certificates in Victoria to prove that they were brothers, so one
evening I Googled ..... 'Jerilderie Historical Society' – no luck, then I tried 'Jerilderie World War 1 soldiers' where I found pure gold!
SMYTHE, H.E.
SMYTHE, Viv
SMYTHE, Ver.
SMYTHE, P.
After some searching through Service records in the National Archives and the Australian War Memorial,electoral rolls and BMD records for NSW and Victoria, I discovered they were brothers and their parentswere Edward Albert and Annie Smythe. The 1913 electoral roll shows Mr & Mrs Smythe living in Eltham StGladesville. He was a bootmaker.
HERBERT ANDREW
Born in Victoria, he enlisted on 21 August 1914 aged 24 and embarked on 20 October 1914 onHMAT Euripides. On 30 April 1915 at Gallipoli he suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder. He
was killed in action in the second battle of Bullecourt on 3 May 1917.
EDWARD VIVIAN
Born in Victoria he enlisted on 24 September 1915 and rose to the rank of Major. By March 1917 hewas Lieutenant in the 24th Btn and won the Military Cross. In October of the same year he was
awarded the Bar. In 1915 his wife's address is “Glenvale” in Morrison Rd Gladesville. He servedalso in World War 11 from September 1939 to July 1946. He died in Port Moresby aged 77 in October 1968.
VERNON ERLE
Born in Jerilderie. NSW, he enlisted with his brother, Herbert Andrew, and they served together inGallipoli. He served in France and In March 1917 as Captain he won the Military Cross. In October
1917 he was awarded the Bar. He returned to Australia in December 1918 and died in March 1982.
PERCY ELLESMERE
Born in Victoria, he enlisted on 30 April 1915 aged 22. He became a 2nd Lieutenant and in late 1918 was awarded a Military Cross. He died in 1966 and the Ryerson Index states he was 'late of Denistone.I had some difficulty finding records of birth certificates in Victoria to prove that they were brothers, so one
evening I Googled ..... 'Jerilderie Historical Society' – no luck, then I tried 'Jerilderie World War 1 soldiers' where I found pure gold!
