12/02/1916- To Area No. 2 as Private
12/04/1916- To 16th Battalion 19th Reinforcements
25/08/1916- To 4th Training Battalion Codford England
16/01/1917- Proceeded Overseas 4th Australian Division Base Depot Etaples France ex Folkestone ex Codford
21/01/1917- Joined 16th Battalion in the field France
11/04/1917- Reported MISSING IN ACTION France
11/04/1917- Reported Captured Reincourt France & taken PRISONER OF WAR– Interred Limburg
14/10/1917- DIED OF DISEASE ( Inflammation of Bowels & Tuberculosis ) whilst PRISONER OF WAR in German Hands at Kreigs Lazarett Museum Tournai Belgium.
SERVICE MEDALS AWARDED
British War Medal – No. 45549
Victory Medal – No. 45029
Memorial Plaque/Scroll- No. 338907
MEMORIAL INSCRIPTIONS
Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT – Panel No. 81
Australian Ex-Prisoner of War Memorial Ballarat VIC.
PRISONER OF WAR – RED CROSS FILES SUMMARY
11/08/1917- London- From German List Dated 23/06/1917- ” Prisoner of War- Captured Reincourt 11/04/1917- Interred Limburg “.
12/11/1917- London- From Postcard from Prisoner to Mr. Eph Smith ( Uncle ) Honolulu Sandwich Islands via USA per Postal Censor undated received 7/11/1917- ” Prisoner of War – Interred Limburg- Am well treated ‘.
3/12/1917- London- Certified by War Office List No. 261. Dated 14/11/1917- ‘ Prisoner of War – Transferred Friedrichsfeld “.
4/01/1918- London- From German List dated 5/12/1917- ‘ Prisoner of War- Died 14/10/1917- in Krgs Las. Museum ar Tournai Buried Cemetery adjacent Grave No. 599 “.
5/01/1918- London – Postcard received from E. Read 4th East Yorkshire Regiment dated 20/11/1917- ” Prisoner of War- Mentions man having died in Hospital – his parcel received being divided among his comrades “.
15/01/1918- Letter from Australian Red Cross Society Grosvenor Place London Dated 15th January 1918 to 201918 Pte. E. Reed 4th East Yyorkshire Regiment, British Prisoner of War- ” Thank you for your Postcard. We are anxious to obtain further details of the Death and Burial of No. 6098 Athur B. Smith AIF and will be glad if you can supply us with whatever information you can obtain as to his last hours , death and burial, as you will readily understand his bereaved relatives are anxious for all possible details. With all good wishes for your recovery and apologies for troubling you, Secretary “.
8/03/1918- London- From German List dated 12/02/1918- ‘Prisoner of War- Died 14/10/1917. Man’s Name on ‘Personal Effects’ List “.
12/04/1918- London – Extract from Letter from Sgt. Fleming , President British Help Commitee. Friedrichsfeld Dated 6/03/1916- ” Prisoner of War- I notice that the parcels for this man are still coming through. He died some time ago . October I think but I am not sure of the date “.
3/01/1919- Informant- Sgt. J. E. Rudd. 1021. 48th Battalion B. Coy P/W. Red Cross- ” Died as Prisoner of War- He died from Starvation when working behind the line at Denain. I was there when he was taken away to Hospital. He was then too far gone to ask for anything. I don’t know where he actually died , but think at Tournai. He was in a very bad way, could not walk when taken to Hospital. Was School Master in Western Australia “.
25/09/1919- Letter from Australian Red Cross Society Prisoner of War Section Berlin Dated 25/09/1919- ” 6098. Pte. Smith, Arthur Bernard 16th Battalion A.I.F- Z. N. Buro Berlin. Death Voucher Received. Died 14/10/1917. Tournai. Buried Cemetery of Honour Tournai . Sud. E. Grave. No. 454. FINALISED “.
30/09/1919- Information from list Received from Capt. Mills dated 1/09/1919- ” Prisoner of War Died 14/10/1917 From Berlin Information Buro. Died of inflamation of the bowels and tuberculosis – Paybook handed in 7/12/1917. Buried South Tournai in Cemetery of Honour Single Grave 454 ‘.
7/10/1919- London – Translation of German Death Certificate received from Capt. Mills and passed on to AIF Headquarters 4/10/1919 Reichewehr- Befehlsstelle Prussia- Berlin , H.W. 7 23rd September 1919 Dorotheenstr 4g. Seal of Prussian War Office Central Information Bureau. Signed J. A. Kekule. V. Stradonitz, Captain- ” Prisoner of War- It is hereby certified that there is here produced the Grave card of the Ref. II. D according to which the Australian Prisoner of War Smith , Arthur, of the 16 Aust. Imp. Forces D. Coy, Prisoners Camp III Denain, died at Tournai, on 14th October 1917, and was buried in the Cemetery of Honour , single Grave 454, at South Tournai “.
14/10/1920- From London Bureau Melbourne 14/10/1920- ” Died Prisoner of War- SMITH ARTHUR A.I.F. 16 Bn D Co. Disc. 6098. Born 14/04/1873 at Windsor. War-Hospital Museum at Tournai. Died 14/10/1917. Buried Cam. Valenciennes , Grave 454 “.