Wednesday, August 03, 2005

Ernest (Smokey) Smith, VC

On an October night in 1944, a young man from New Westminster, BC, ran into some enemy on the bridgehead his Seaforth Highlanders had just established across the Savio River in Italy. He was supported by neither tanks nor guns. This is what he did:

Under heavy fire from the approaching enemy tanks, Private Smith, showing great initiative and inspiring leadership, led his P.I.A.T. Group of two men across an open field to a position from which the P.I.A.T. could best be employed. Leaving one man on the weapon, Private Smith crossed the road with a companion and obtained another P.I.A.T. Almost immediately an enemy tank came down the road firing its machine-guns along the line of the ditches. Private Smith's comrade was wounded. At a range of thirty feet and having to expose himself to the full view of the enemy, Private Smith fired the P.I.A.T. and hit the tank, putting it out of action. Ten German infantry immediately jumped off the back of the tank and charged him with Schmeissers and grenades. Without hesitation Private Smith moved out on the road and with his Tommy gun at point-blank range, killed four Germans and drove the remainder back. Almost immediately another tank opened fire and more enemy infantry closed in on Smith's position. Obtaining some abandoned Tommy gun magazines from a ditch, he steadfastly held his position, protecting his comrade and fighting the enemy with his Tommy gun until they finally gave up and withdrew in disorder.

-From the Victoria Cross Citation for Ernest (Smokey) Smith, VC, who was Canada's last living Victoria Cross recipient. He died Wednesday.

9 comments:

Cracker said...

Wow, that's pretty impressive. I would have just used my ninja skills, but a tommy gun works almost as well.

Snides said...

He was going against Panther tanks; some say they were the best tanks of the war. I don't think throwing stars would get through the armour.

The guy was the same age as us when he did this. I know I haven't held off any enemy tanks or infantry yet. Quite amazing what he did.

Anonymous said...

Ya, I guess that's pretty good at our age. But did HE dunk a basketball two years ago? I don't think so. He probably tommygunned it.

Personally, I woulda thrown my comrade out in the open and then ran like hell.

Note to friends: don't be my comrade.

Anonymous said...

What? He was the last one? Well I guess this means I gotta go out and win one, and I was gonna go camping this weekend.

On a completely unrelated note, It has become apparent to me that every rap video is EXACTLY THE SAME.

Snides said...

Hmm...yes, you're right, that IS a completely unrelated note.

If you're looking to earn one yourself, perhaps you should check what this guy did. Because he won TWO of them.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I'm reading a book about him

Cracker said...

Umm... I don't think your link worked.

What's a "book"?

Anonymous said...

I think it's one of those things that you put fruit in and then you can drink what comes out.

Oh wait, that's a juicer. My bad.

Snides said...

You're right. It didn't work. His name is Charlie Upham, he's from NZ. I was there, I met his neighbour. No big deal.