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| Name | The Rt. Hon. Brigadier Sir JOHN SMYTH Bt. VC, MC |
| Regiment | 15th Ludhiana Sikhs, Indian Army |
| Born | 25th October 1893 - 'Greenmount', Ferndale Road, East Teignmouth, Devon |
| Educated | 1901 - 1907 Dragon Preparatory School, Oxford 1907 - 1911 Repton School, Repton, Derbyshire 1911 - 1912 Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst |
| Died | 26 April 1983, aged 89, King Edward VII Hospital for Officers, Marylebone, London Residing: Nelson House, Dolphin Square, Pimlico, London |
| Cremated | 29 April 1983, Golders Green Crematorium, London |
| Parents | - William John Smyth - born 2 May 1869, Sidmouth, Devon ( Indian Civil Service ) - Lillian May Clifford |
| Brothers | - Brigadier Herbert Edward Fitzroy Smyth MC - Lieutenant Colonel Henry Malcolm Smyth OBE |
| Family 1 | married 1: Margaret Dundas, 22 July 1920, Brompton Oratory, London ( dissolved ) - Son: John, born 1921 ( killed in action, 7 May 1944, Kohima, Assam ) - Son: Julian, born 1923 ( died of cancer, Australia, 29 April 1974 ) - Son: Robin, born 1926 - Daughter: Jill, born 1931 |
| Family 2 | married 2: Frances Read, 12 April 1940, Southsea, Hampshire |
| Service Record |
2nd Lieutenant - 24 August 1912 Lieutenant - 24 November 1914 Captain - 24 August 1916 Brevet Major - 1 January 1928 Major - 24 August 1929 Brevet Lieutenant Colonel - 1 July 1933 Lieutenant Colonel - 16 July 1936 T / Brigadier - 5 February 1940 to 2 April 1941 Colonel - 23 December 1940 A / Brigadier - 15 June 1941 to 19 October 1941 A / Major General - 20 October 1941 to March 1942 Honorary Brigadier - 7 November 1942 ( upon retirement on medical grounds ) |
| Operations | Attached 1st Bn, The Yorkshire Regiment ( training in the Punjab, India ) - October 1912 to October 1913 |
| Joined 15th Ludhiana Sikhs, Indian Army, in Baluchistan - 5 November 1913 | |
| WWI, Western Front, France - 15th Ludhiana Sikhs, Indian Army - September 1914 to August 1915 | |
| Campaign Medals |
World War One Campaign Medals - 1914 Star with clasp "5th Aug-22nd Nov 1914" - British War Medal 1914-20 - Victory Medal 1914-19 with " MID Oakleaf " |
| Egypt, Ismailia ( Canal Defence ), 15th Ludhiana Sikhs - August 1915 to November 1915 | |
| Senussi Campaign, Western Desert, North Africa, 15th Ludhiana Sikhs - November 1915 to February 1916 | |
| Mohmand Blockade, North West Frontier, India, 15th Ludhiana Sikhs - October 1916 to December 1916 | |
| Third Afghan War & North West Frontier, India - Brigade Major, 43rd Infantry Brigade, Indian Army - May 1919 to May 1920 | |
| Campaign Medal |
India General Service Medal 1902 - 1935, 3 clasps - Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919 - Mahsud 1919-20 - Waziristan 1919-21 |
| ( June 1920 ( in England ) - seconded for service in Mesopotamia ( see below )) | |
| Mesopotamia ( now Iraq ), Arab Insurrection - Brigade Major, 74th Infantry Brigade, British Army - 19 July 1920 to 16 February 1921 | |
| Campaign Medal |
General Service Medal 1918 - 1962, 1 clasp - Iraq |
| GSO 3, Intelligence Branch, Army HQ Delhi, India - 13 January 1922 to 10 December 1922 | |
| Student, Staff College, Camberley, Surrey - 1923 to 1925 | |
| GSO 2, Directorate of Military Training, Army HQ Delhi, India - 27 November 1925 to 21 November 1929 | |
| Peshawar, North West Frontier, India - 2nd / 11th Sikh Regiment ( Ludhiana Sikhs ) - 1930 | |
| Campaign Medal |
India General Service Medal 1902 - 1935, 1 clasp - Afghanistan N.W.F. 1930-31 |
| GSO 2, Indian Army Instructor, Staff College, Camberley, Surrey - 16 January 1931 to 15 January 1934 | |
| Mohmand Operations, North West Frontier, India - 2nd i / c, 3rd / 11th Sikh Regiment ( Rattray's Sikhs ) - 1935 | |
| Campaign Medal |
India General Service Medal 1902 - 1935, 1 clasp - North West Frontier 1935 |
| Chitral Relief Force, North West Frontier - command 3rd / 11th Sikh Regiment ( Rattray's Sikhs ) - 21 September 1936 to 1938 | |
| Seconded to the Home Office ( for civil defence preparations ) - August 1939 | |
| GSO 2, 2nd London Division - 27 September 1939 to January 1940 | |
| Command 127th Infantry Brigade ( Manchester Brigade ) TA - British Expeditionary Force ( including withdrawal from Dunkirk May 1940 ) - 5 February 1940 to 2 April 1941 | |
| Command 36th Infantry Brigade, Baluchistan, India - May 1941 to October 1941 | |
| Command 18th ( 19th ) Indian ( Dagger ) Division, Secunderabad, India - October 1941 | |
| GOC 17th ( Indian ) Division, Burma - 20 December 1941 to March 1942 | |
| Campaign Medals |
World War Two Campaign Medals - 1939-45 Star - Burma Star - Defence Medal 1939-45 - War Medal 1939-45 with " MID Oakleaf " |
| Retired | Retired on medical grounds - 7 November 1942 |
| Gallantry Awards |
Victoria Cross 18 May 1915 Richebourg L'Avoué ( Battle of Festubert ), France |
| VC Invested | 12 July 1915 - by King George V at Buckingham Palace |
| VC Gazetted | [ London Gazette, 29 June 1915 ] Richebourg L'Avoué ( Battle of Festubert ), France, 18th May 1915, Lieutenant John George Smyth, 15th Ludhiana Sikhs, Indian Army. |
| VC Citation | "For most conspicuous bravery near Richebourg on 18th May 1915. When a bombing party of ten men, who voluntarily undertook this duty, he conveyed a supply of ninety-six bombs to within twenty yards of the enemy's position, over extremely dangerous ground, after attempts of two other parties had failed. Lieutenant Smyth succeeded in taking the bombs to the desired position with the aid of two of his men ( the other eight having been killed or wounded ), and to effect his purpose he had to swim a stream, being exposed the whole time to howitzer, shrapnel, machine-gun and rifle fire". |
| Gallantry Awards |
Military Cross 22 October 1919 Tochi Valley, Waziristan, North West Frontier, India ( recommended for a 'Bar' to his Victoria Cross by General Gwyn-Thomas, October 1919 ) |
| MC Invested | 21 July 1921 - by HRH Duke of York at Buckingham Palace |
| MC Gazetted | [ London Gazette, 27 September 1920 ] Waziristan, North West Frontier, 22nd October 1919. Captain John George Smyth, 15th Ludhiana Sikhs, Indian Army, Headquarters, 43rd Infantry Brigade. |
| MC Citation | "For gallantry and initiative at Khajuri, Tochi Valley, on the 22nd October 1919, when, having been sent forward from Idak to clear up the situation, his quick appreciation, disposition and leadership averted a serious disaster and contributed largely towards the saving of a valuable convoy attacked by the enemy. He showed great gallantry under heavy fire, inspired his command, and brought the convoy safely to Idak". |
| VC Location | Bequeathed to the Imperial War Museum, London, and on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery | ||
| Medal Entitlement | The Rt. Hon. Brigadier Sir John Smyth Bt, VC, MC - 15th Ludhiana Sikhs, Indian Army
Orders |
1955 created a Baronet - styled '1st Baronet, of Teignmouth' |
As John Smyth was created a baronet he was entitled to wear the Baronet's Badge, worn at the neck suspended from a blue-edged orange ribbon. The Baronet's Badge had to be purchased privately. However, no photograph shows John Smyth wearing the Badge, nor is it included in his VC medal group. Therefore, it can be assumed he did not buy it. |
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Iain Stewart, 10 January 2004