Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Corporal

Unit:

17th Canadian Field Regiment RCA, 5th Canadian (Armoured) Division, Canadian Army

Awarded on:

January 24th, 1946

"Bombardier Smith joined 17 Canadian Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery, 27 July 1940 and has served throughout the campaigns of Italy and Holland with untiring devotion to duty. During his time in the ranks Bombardier Smith was a popular, cheerful individual who had an outstanding knack in leading men in the various endeavours during the long months of training in England. Upon becoming a Non-Commissioned Officer his gun detachment followed his leadership with great devotion and he in turn always made sure that the men under his command were the best equipped, best trained Gunners in the regiment. At Arnhem, 16 April 1945, when the regiment was ordered to deploy in a certain area, the enemy started to shell Bombardier Smith's battery when it was going into action. Showing utter contempt for the enemy shells, Bombardier Smith urged his detachment to such swift action that his gun was in position and firing long before the other guns in his troop. By this action it was possible to quickly register a very important target of twenty enemy vehicles which were engaged and many destroyed. During an enemy attack on Otterloo around 0430 hours, 17 April 1945, Bombardier Smith was commanding his gun detachment which was deployed in an open field 150 yards from a wood. This wood provided good cover for the enemy who soon engaged the area with persistent bursts from machine guns. Bombardier Smith, realizing that a determined attack would soon be made by the enemy, crawled back to the troop command post, a distance of 100 yards, and asked permission to engage the enemy in the woods over open sights. Permission was granted and he and his detachment, assisted by the light from burning buildings, fired at the enemy using high explosive shell and a time fuze with a setting of ten seconds which is the minimum safe setting. The first rounds burst behind the enemy so Bombardier Smith, without thought of the possible serious consequence, immediately ordered the fuzes to be set at two seconds time of flight and continued to fire until the enemy were forced to withdraw. Throughout this period the detachment were subjected to continuous machine gun and rifle fire. By Bombardier Smith's gallant action and his absolute control of the gun crew a coordinated enemy attack was prevented, thus enabling the guns of his battery to continue firing."