Edward David Smout OAM (1898-2004) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree

Edward David Smout OAM

Born 5 Jan 1898 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Ancestors

Son of William John Smout and Emma Elizabeth (Gadsby) Smout

Brother of Florence Ethel (Smout) Hof, Norman John Smout, William Gadsby Smout and Arthur Henry Smout

Husband of Ella Annie Grace (Stevens) Smout — married 22 Jun 1923 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Father of Westall David Smout

Died 22 Jun 2004 at age 106 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

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Profile last modified 1 Dec 2023 | Created 18 Aug 2019

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Embarkation Roll:
May 1916

Visit : VWMA Virtual Memorial Edward Smout OAM . . . and photo . .

Biography

Edward Smout OAM is Notable.

Ted Smout OAM was the only Australian veteran to live through every war in which Australia, as a nation, has been involved: from South Africa to Afghanistan.

Chevaliers

He was a stretcher-bearer during The Great War; one of the first on the scene upon the landing of Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron, as he died. He was awarded France's highest honour, Chevalier (Knight) of the Legion d'Honneur in 1998 and also received the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to the community. A regular participant in Anzac Day marches, Smout became one of Queensland's most-commemorated war veterans. At 106 years of age, Ted was Australia's sixth-last but oldest surviving First World War veteran.

Edward Smout OAM has Welsh ancestors.

Born Edward David "Ted" Smout on 5th January 1898 at his grandmother's house at Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, he was the eldest son of William Smout and Emma Gadsby.^[1] Following formal education at a number of state schools, beginning at Cunnamulla where his father was a collector of customs, Ted obtained a clerk's position at the Auditor General's Office.^[2]

Edward Smout OAM is an Anzac who served in World War One.

His first attempt at enlistment while underage was thwarted when he was recognised. Unperturbed, on 10th September 1915, Ted visited a different recruiting depot and enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force; being allocated to the the 3rd Sanitary Section, Australian Army Medical Corps. Although he gave his age as 18 years 8 months, he was in fact twelve months younger and under the legal enlistment age. Anyway, like many others, he 'snuck' through.^[3] Ted embarked on HMAT Demosthenes A64 from Sydney on 19th May 1916^[4]^[5], arriving in France, he was hospitalised with suspected mumps. Cleared of the disease, he was promoted to Lance Corporal and re-joined his unit on Christmas Day in the trenches as a stretcher-bearer. Ted served on the Western Front around Armentieres, Ypres, Passchendale and Amiens; surviving an aircraft bombing raid on his billet at Poperinghe and artillery shelling later near Ypres.

1914-1915 Star
AIF Attestation p.25

During an engagement near the Somme River on 21st April 1918, Ted was an eyewitness to the final moments in the life and career of the famous German flying ace Manfred von Richthofen (aka the "Red Baron"), whose aeroplane had landed nearby after he was fatally shot. He reported that Richthofen's last word was "kaputt" ("finished") just before he died. Smout said later in life that he resisted the temptation to souvenir the Red Baron's boots and Iron Cross.^[2]

After the Armistice in November 1918, Ted was promoted to acting Sergeant with the Australian Army Pay Office in London. He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal for his war service. He was discharged on 8th September 1919 upon his return to Australia and resumed his career with the Auditor General's Office.^[2] However, the trauma of his war experiences began to take their toll almost immediately and he was granted sick leave in 1920. He returned three months later physically fit after working on a sheep station, but the mental scarring remained for some time. In 1922 Ted joined an insurance firm, beginning a successful career that would last till his retirement almost four decades later.^[2]

Edward Smout OAM is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Australian Army Volunteer Defence Corps 1942-45
2nd Battalion

Ted married Ella Stevens in 1923 at Brisbane.
^[6] The couple had two sons and a daughter:

Westall David Smout (1924-)
Betty Joan Smout (1928-)
unknown son Smout (-)

Ted enlisted once more, on 6th May 1942, for service during the Second World War in the Volunteer Defence Corps. He was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion and placed in command of a Bofors gun emplacement (air defence) in Brisbane.^[7] For this additional war service Ted was awarded the War Medal 1939-1945 and Australia Service Medal 1939-1945.

During the interwar period Ted had joined Legacy, the first of many organisations that would mark his community involvement. He later became equally involved in Meals on Wheels, the Red Cross, the Brisbane Chamber of Commerce, Rotary and Probus. For his selfless and extensive service to the community, Ted was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the Queen's Birthday Honours 1978.^[8] He was a regular participant in ANZAC Day marches.^[2]

He was awarded France's highest honour, being created Knight of the Legion of Honour^[9] in 1998.

Further well-deserved honours came Ted's way when he was awarded the 80th Anniversary Armistice Remembrance Medal on 21st April 1999^[10] and the Centenary Medal on New Year's Day 2001^[11]

Widowed for twelve years, Ted Smout passed away at 106 years of age on 22nd June 2004 at Sandgate, Queensland. He is buried in Redcliffe Cemetery, Queensland.^[12] Ted was survived by his son, Dr Westall "Westy" Smout, himself a Second World War "Bomber Navigator" veteran. . . . . more . . Wikipedia®.