Edward_Smart

Edward Smart

Edward Smart

Australian diplomat and general (1891–1961)

For the member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, see Edward Smart (politician).

Lieutenant General Edward Kenneth Smart, DSO, MC (23 May 1891 – 2 May 1961) was a career officer in the Australian Army, and subsequently a diplomat. He married twice and his second wife was the Canadian diplomat Margaret Gordon.

Quick Facts Nickname(s), Born ...
Group portrait of Siege Artillery Brigade officers (SAB), 1914, Melbourne. All of this group embarked on 17 July 1915 on HMAT Orsova (A67) from Melbourne, arriving England 25 August 1915.
Back row L-R:
Lt HDE Ralfe, Lt HC Bundock, Lt W Tomkinson, Lt Edward Kenneth Smart, Lt C Morris, Lt Basil Morris, Lt PW Dobson, Lt WW Whittle
Front row L-R:
Capt RW Cohiston-Walsh, Capt AW Bates, Maj FW Osborne, LtCol WA Coxen, Maj JH Hurst, Capt GStJF McDonald, Capt MD Williams

Early years

Ken Smart was born 23 May 1891 in Kew, an inner suburb of Melbourne, Australia, and was educated at Melbourne Church of England Grammar School. He was commissioned into the Corps of Australian Engineers as a second lieutenant on 18 July 1910. On 1 December he was promoted to lieutenant in the Royal Australian Garrison Artillery, and by 1914 was an officer of the Siege Artillery Brigade commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Walter Adams Coxen. On 12 June 1915 he married Phyllis E. Robertson.[1]

Military career

First World War

Smart enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on 21 May 1915, and on 17 July the Siege Artillery Brigade embarked upon HMAT Orsova (A67) from Melbourne, arriving England 25 August.[2]

Smart arrived in France on 2 March 1916, and saw action at Vimy Ridge in May before becoming involved in the Battle of the Somme from June 1916 to March 1917. In September 1916, during the course of heavy fighting in which he was wounded, his actions led to him being awarded the Military Cross. The citation reads:[3][4]

Lt. Edward Kenneth Smart, R.-Arty. For conspicuous gallantry in action. Although wounded, he observed throughout the day with great courage and skill, sending back valuable information. He has previously done fine work.

On 13 December 1916 he was appointed adjutant of the 36th Heavy Artillery Group (HAG) and promoted to the rank of captain. During 1917 he was placed in command of 39th Battery, 10th Australian Field Artillery Brigade, 4th Australian Division, and saw action in Messines (May–June), near Nieuport (July) and near Dixmude (October). In November 1917 he took a position at headquarters 4th Divisional Artillery as a Brigade-Major Trainee, and in December he was mentioned in despatches.[5]

In April 1918 Smart took a position at headquarters Australian Corps near Albert, and in June was promoted to brevet major, taking command of the 110th Howitzer Battery, 10th Australian Field Artillery Brigade. Involved in heavy fighting in August and September, he was seriously wounded on 27 September, and subsequently recommended for the Distinguished Service Order.[6][7]

His service in the First World War resulted in nine entries in the Australian War Memorial's Honours and Awards database:

More information Award or Recommendation, Date awarded / recommended ...

Inter-bellum

After discharge from the AIF, Smart remained in the army and from 31 May to 1 October 1919 attended Artillery College in England. He returned to Australia and, from 16 February to 10 September 1920, served as Officer Commanding No. 6 Company, Royal Australian Garrison Artillery, 3rd Military District in Victoria.[5]

Smart then returned to England until February 1925 where he served in a number of positions:[5]

More information What, Started ...

On return to Australia, Smart served in a number of positions until January 1936:[5]

More information What, Started ...

On 16 January 1936, Smart took up the position of Military Liaison Officer in the High Commissioner's Office in London, serving there until 25 August 1939, being promoted to brevet colonel in July 1937.[5]

Second World War

On return to Australia, and the outbreak of the Second World War, on 13 October 1939 Smart was promoted to major general and appointed QuarterMaster General and 3rd Military Member of the Military Board at Army Headquarters in Melbourne. On 24 October 1940 he was promoted to temporary lieutenant general and appointed General Officer Commanding, Southern Command, and District Officer Commanding the 3rd Military District.[5]

In April 1942 he was made substantive lieutenant general and was appointed Australian Military Representative in Washington D.C., or Head of the Australian Military Mission to the United States. In August 1942 he was appointed Australian Army Representative in London; as well as being Head of the Australian Military Mission to the UK, he was Australia's representative on the Imperial War Council.[17] He remained in this position until his retirement from the Australian Army on 2 July 1946.[5][18]

Post-military career and personal life

From London Smart proceeded to San Francisco where he served as Australian Consul-General from 1946 to 1949,[19] and then to New York, where he continued to serve as Australian Consul-General, from 1946 until his retirement in 1954 to Melbourne with his second wife. He had married the Canadian diplomat Margaret Gordon in 1953.[20]

Smart had first married Phyllis E. Robertson, daughter of Lieutenant Colonel J. Robertson, on 12 June 1915. They had two children; a son and a daughter. Smart's recreations were walking and motoring, and his club was the Navy, Army and Air Force Club in Melbourne.[1] Smart died on 2 May 1961.[21][22]

Honours

Honours awarded to Ken Smart until 1920:

Also, Mentioned in Despatches: 28 December 1917 and 11 July 1919

References

  1. [1]
    SMART, Lieut.-General Edward Kenneth, Who's Who in Australia, 1947, pg.764; Who's Who in Australia, 1957. Available on-line at ancestry.com
  2. [2]
    "First World War Embarkation Roll". Australian War Memorial.
  3. [3]
    "No. 29824". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 14 November 1916. p. 11075.
  4. [4]
    "Search: SMART Edward: Military Cross". It's an Honour. Australian Government. Archived from the original on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2009.
  5. [5]
    "LtGen K E Smart". The Army List of Officers of the Australian Military Forces. Melbourne: Australian Army. 1950. OCLC 220688670.
  6. [6]
    "No. 31370". The London Gazette (5th supplement). 30 May 1919. p. 6822.
  7. [7]
    "Search: SMART Edward: Distinguished Service Order". It's an Honour. Australian Government.
  8. [8]
    "Edward Kenneth Smart: Military Cross". Search: Honours and Awards. Australian War Memorial. 14 November 1916. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  9. [9]
    "Edward Kenneth Smart: Mention in despatches". Search: Honours and Awards. Australian War Memorial. 28 December 1917. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  10. [10]
    "4th Division Artillery: Recommendations for Reward: Edward Kenneth Smart" (PDF). Australian War Memorial. 7 May 1918. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  11. [11]
    "4th Division Artillery: Confirmation of Reward: Edward Kenneth Smart" (PDF). Australian War Memorial. 3 June 1918. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  12. [12]
    "4th Division Artillery: Recommendations for Reward: Edward Kenneth Smart" (PDF). Australian War Memorial. 10 May 1918. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  13. [13]
    "4th Division Artillery: Recommendations for Reward: Edward Kenneth Smart" (PDF). Australian War Memorial. 10 May 1918. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  14. [14]
    "4th Division Artillery: Recommendations for Reward: Edward Kenneth Smart" (PDF). Australian War Memorial. 31 January 1919. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  15. [15]
    "Edward Kenneth Smart: Distinguished Service Order". Search: Honours and Awards. Australian War Memorial. 3 June 1919. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  16. [16]
    "Edward Kenneth Smart: Mention in despatches". Search: Honours and Awards. Australian War Memorial. 11 July 1919. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  17. [17]
    William C. Sylvan, John T. Greenwood, Francis G. Smith, Jr., Courtney H. Hodges (2008) Normandy to Victory: The War Diary of General Courtney H. Hodges and the First U.S. Army, University Press of Kentucky, ISBN 0-8131-2525-1, Pg.182: Wed 22 November 1944 – Smart: Australia’s representative to the Imperial War Council
  18. [18]
    WW2 Service Record Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Department of Veterans Affairs
  19. [19]
    Guide to the San Francisco News, July 1946: New Consul General Edward Kenneth Smart of Australia
  20. [20]
    Green, Barbara, "Marjorie Gordon Smart (1911–1982)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 18 April 2024
  21. [21]
    "Lieutenant General Edward Kenneth SMART, DSO, MC" (PDF). Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  22. [22]
    Biographical cuttings on Edward Kenneth Smart, Lieutenant-General, National Library of Australia
  23. [23]
    Edward Kenneth Smart Archived 13 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine, The AIF Project – AUSTRALIAN ANZACS IN THE GREAT WAR 1914–1918, adfa.edu.au

Further reading

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