People Australia

Perceval Lascelles Smith, n.d. photographer unknown

PERCEVAL LASCELLES SMITH, son of Mrs. W. Birnie, was born at Williamstown, Victoria, on 20th March, 1886, and received his education at St. Paul’s Cathedral School, Melbourne. He joined the service of the Bank on 13th August, 1902, at Fitzroy; he was transferred to Richmond, Victoria, on 27th October, 1902; to Melbourne on 21st February, 1905; to Warrnambool, as ledger-keeper, on 1st August, 1906; and to Bendigo, as ledger-keeper, on 26th November, 1908. On 21st December of the following year he joined the Inspector’s Staff in Melbourne.

Perceval Lascelles Smith enlisted as a private in the A.I.F. on 10th May, 1915, from which rank he rose to that of captain. He served in France and was wounded at Clery-sur-Somme by machine-gun fire, and died from the effect of these wounds on 2nd September, 1918.

He was awarded the M.C. for digging out one of his men from beneath the parapet of a trench under direct machine-gun fire.