Date of birth:

August 1896 (Kirkwall/Orkney Islands, Great Britain)

Date of death:

January 7th, 1973 (Swan Hill/ Victoria, Australia)

Nationality:

Australian

Andrew Kirkwall-Smith emigrated with his family in the early 1900's to Australia.
When WW1 broke out, he persuaded his father to give permission to enlist. At first with the Infantry, he transfered to the Artillery. For services during WW1 he was awarded the Military Medal (1917 Ypres), the 1914-1915 Star and British War and Victory Medals.
He was discharged in 1919 and bought a plantation in North-East New Guinea. When the Japanes brought war to New Guinea, he enlisted again and served with the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles/"M" Special Unit, as a member of the Allied Intelligence Bureau. During the latter half of 1942, Kirkwall-Smith was operating behind the lines to gather information about the Japanese build-up of forces.
In 1943 Kirkwall-Smith left the army and took up a commission in the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve - Amphibious Force, section Beach Reconnaissance Group. He recommenced with his intelligence work and landed at Cape Gloucester in late September 1943 to collect information about the enemy prior to the forthcoming Allied landings.
After the war Kirkwall-Smith owned an orange grove at Lake Kanagaroo in Victoria, finally retiring to Swan Hill in 1970.

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

• - Fourth Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 36947 published on the 16 February 1945
  - Christies
  - ANZAC Dad Commemoration Committee (Queensland)
  - Australian War Memorial