Allegiance United Kingdom Place of burial Alassio, Italy Service/branch British Army | Name Clement Smith Rank Brigadier general Role Armed force officer Awards Victoria Cross | |
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Buried at English Cemetery, Alassio Unit Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Battles/wars Fourth Somaliland Expedition
Second Boer War
World War I Died December 14, 1927, Alassio, Italy Battles and wars Second Boer War, World War I | ||
Commands held Imperial Camel Brigade | ||
Brigadier General Clement Leslie Smith, (17 January 1878 – 14 December 1927) was a British Army officer and an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
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Details
Smith was 25 years old, and a lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, British Army, attached to the 5th Somaliland Light Infantry during the Fourth Somaliland Expedition when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 10 January 1904 at the commencement of the fight at Jidballi, British Somaliland, Lieutenant Smith and a medical officer tried to rescue a hospital assistant who was wounded. The rapidity of the enemy's fire, however, made this impossible and the hospital assistant was killed. Lieutenant Smith then did all that was possible to bring out the medical officer, helping him to mount a horse and, when this was shot, a mule. This animal also was shot and the medical officer was killed, but the lieutenant stayed with him to the end, trying to keep off the enemy with his revolver.
During the First World War he commanded the Imperial Camel Corps Brigade based in Egypt.
The medal
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Museum in Bodmin, Cornwall, England.