Ernest Smith

Ernest Alvia "Smokey" Smith VC, CM, OBC, CD (3 May 1914 – 3 August 2005) was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was the last living Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross.

Early life and career

Born in New Westminster, British Columbia, Smith came of age during the Great Depression and along with many others struggled to find steady employment. He was 25 when he joined the Canadian Army on 5 March 1940, becoming part of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada. In 1943, he first entered into combat. On 10 July 1943, he was part of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division landing in Sicily, remaining active throughout the Sicily and Italian campaign between July 1943 and February of 1945.

On the night of 21/22 October 1944 at the River Savio, in Northern Italy, Private Smith was in the spearhead of the attack which established a bridgehead over the river. With a PIAT anti-tank launcher he disabled a 44-ton Panther Mark V tank at a range of just 30 feet (10 metres), and while protecting a wounded comrade, he killed four panzergrenadiers and routed six others. When another tank was sent to take out his position, he used another PIAT to damage it enough to retreat. He then carried his wounded comrade, and joined a counter-attack to disperse the Germans still attacking his previous position. The squad destroyed three Panther Tanks, two self-propelled artillery pieces, a half-track, a scout car, and a few German soldiers. During his career, Smith was promoted to corporal nine times, but subsequently demoted back to private nine times prior to his actions at the River Savio. He later achieved the rank of sergeant.

Ernest Smith (disambiguation)

Ernest Smith (1914–2005) was a Canadian soldier and recipient of the VC.

Ernest Smith may also refer to:

See also

Ernest Smith (cricketer, born 1888)

Ernest Smith (11 July 1888 – 2 January 1972) was an English first-class cricketer, who played sixteen matches for Yorkshire County Cricket Club from 1914 to 1926. He also played for Colne C.C. (1921-1924) and Rawtenstall C.C. (1925) in the Lancashire League, and for the Yorkshire Second XI (1912-1920) and the Yorkshire Council (1920).

Born in Barnsley, Yorkshire, England, Smith was a right-handed batsman, who scored 169 runs at 10.56, with a best of 49 against Essex. A slow left arm and left arm medium pace bowler, he took 46 wickets at 23.69, with a best analysis of 6 for 40 against Leicestershire. He also took five wickets in an innings against the MCC.

Smith died in January 1972, in Blackburn, Lancashire.

References

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Ernest Smith (cricketer, born 1869)

Ernest Smith (19 October 1869 – 9 February 1945) was an English amateur first-class cricketer, who played twenty one games for Oxford University from 1888 to 1891, 154 matches for Yorkshire County Cricket Club from 1888 to 1907, and four for the MCC from 1892 to 1902.

Smith was born in Morley, Yorkshire, England. He also played for Oxford and Cambridge Universities Past and Present (1890), fifteen matches for The Gentlemen (1891-1906), North of England (1891-1908), Gentlemen of England (1891-1910) and C. I. Thornton's XI (1892-1899). He also played first-class cricket for Over 30 (1901), Lancashire and Yorkshire (1903), Rest of England (1904), in twenty seven games for H. D. G. Leveson-Gower's XI (1909-1928) and for Harlequins (1924).

In a total of 242 first-class matches, Smith scored 7,686 runs at 21.46, with a highest score of 164 not out for H. D. G Leveson-Gower's XI against Cambridge University. He scored six centuries, and took 174 catches. A right arm fast bowler, Smith took 454 wickets at 25.69, with a best return of 7 for 40 against the MCC. He took five wickets in an innings twenty two times, and ten wickets in a match on three occasions.