SMITH, Benjamin and Mark

Benjamin and Mark Smith were the sons of Mrs. McMullin of Ashford. Benjamin enlisted in Sydney on 28 August 1914 when he was twenty five and became a Private with the 3rd Battalion, H Company. He served at Gallipoli where he was wounded in May 1915. The following year he was sent to France and served with the 13th Battalion. He returned to Australia in 1917.

Mark enlisted in September 1914, under the name of Mark Alexander Drice. He was twenty one years old and became a Private with the 4th Battalion, D Company. Both brothers sailed from Australia for Egypt on the transport ship A14 Euripides on 20 October 1914.

Private Mark Alexander Drice was Killed in Action at Gallipoli during fighting from 6-9 August 1915. He has no known grave and his name is inscribed on The Lone Pine Memorial at Gallipoli. After his brother's death, Benjamin took a pine cone from the trenches and sent it home to his Mother. From this Gallipoli pine cone she was able to grow two seedlings, one of which was planted in Inverell, the other given to the War Memorial in Canberra.

Mark has his name inscribed on the Inverell Honor Roll and the Cenotaph as M.A. Smith. He was also one of the 215 men for whom a memorial tree was planted in Kurrajong Parade in 1919.

Bertred, the elder brother of Benjamin and Mark enlisted in 1915 and served at Ypres and Passchendaele. He returned to Australia in 1919 and was awarded the Military Medal. The three brothers have their names recorded on the Ashford Honor Roll.