Dedicated to Sgt. Smokey Smith

Ernest Alvia "Smokey" Smith, VC ,CM, OBC, CD 1914 – 2005

Ernest Alvia "Smokey" Smith was born in New Westminster, BC on May 3, 1914. He attended Richard McBride and Herbert Spence public schools and TJ Trap Technical High school. He excelled in sports, notably soccer and track. (It’s suggested he earned the nickname "Smokey" because of his speed on the track; Smokey claims he doesn’t know where or why he got it). Smokey’s high school graduation coincided with the onset of the Great Depression and like thousands of men at that time, he worked sporadically and often "rode the rails" seeking employment.

He enlisted in the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada in Vancouver on March 5, 1940, aged 25. Initially stationed in Scotland and England during the Battle of Britain he first experienced combat in the autumn of 1942, more than 20 months before the Normandy invasion. On July 10, 1943, he and his fellow Seaforth Highlanders landed with the Canadian First Infantry Division in Sicily and fought through the Sicily/Italian campaign (1943/1944), one of the longest and cruelest campaigns of WW II. By the time of the action in northern Italy that earned him the VC, Smokey had been wounded twice and earned twelve campaign medals.

His action at the Savio River was described in December 1944, by the London Gazette, a Crown publication, as follows:

"In Italy on the night of 21st -22ndOctober, 1944, a Canadian Infantry Brigade was ordered to establish a bridgehead across the Savio River. The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada were selected as the spearhead of the attack, and in weather most unfavourable to the operation, they crossed the river and captured their objective in spite of strong opposition from the enemy. Torrential rain had caused the Savio River to rise six feet in five hours and as the soft vertical banks made it impossible to bridge the river, no tanks or anti-tank guns could be taken across the raging stream to support the rifle companies. As the right forward company was consolidating its objective, it was suddenly counter-attacked by a troop of three Mark V Panther tanks supported by two self-propelled guns and about 30 German infantry. The situation appeared hopeless.

"Under heavy fire from the approaching enemy tanks, Private Smith, showing great initiative and inspiring leadership, led his Piat (Projectile Infantry Anti-Tank) group of two men across an open field to a position from which the Piat could best be employed. Leaving one man on the weapon, Private Smith crossed the road with a companion and obtained another Piat. 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 30 feet and having to expose himself to the full view of the enemy, Private Smith fired the Piat and hit the tank, putting it out of action. Ten German infantry immediately jumped off the tank and charged him. Without hesitation, Private Smith moved out on the open 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 and until they finally gave up and withdrew in disorder.

"Showing 'utter contempt for enemy fire', Pte. Smith managed to get his wounded friend to cover and obtained medical aid for him. Rather than fall back to the safety of the Canadian lines, he then returned to his position beside the road in case there was another enemy attack. There wasn't, and the Seaforths were able to hold the bridgehead on the Savio River, opening the way to the capture of the strategically important Po River Valley in Northern Italy."

Pte. Smith was personally awarded his Victoria Cross by King George VI at a ceremony in Buckingham Palace. Of the seventeen Canadians who were awarded the VC, Smokey was the only private to receive one. It is rumoured that Canadian military authorities, concerned for the personal security of their brand-new VC recipient en-route to London, placed him in a Rome jail cell overnight, one of many stories that Smokey would neither confirm nor deny.

Post-war:

Smokey was demobilised in 1945, but five years later at the beginning of the Korean War, he re-enlisted. However, considered by military authorities as too valuable an icon to risk in combat, he was not allowed at the front and ended his military career as a recruiting sergeant in Vancouver, retiring from the military in 1964.

In 1947, Smokey married Esther Weston. They raised two children, David and Norma Jean. Following his retirement from the military Smokey and Esther established a travel agency, "Smith Travel," in downtown Vancouver, which flourished from 1969 to 1992. Smith Travel, due in part no doubt to both Esther's warm and friendly personality and Smokey's affable, forthcoming nature and sense of humour, established many long-lasting relationships with well-known individual and corporate clients and became a fixture in the Vancouver business community. Often, Smokey would accompany groups of clients and friends to historic WW II venues. The Smiths comprised a happy and loving family. Smokey and Esther remained married for nearly fifty years, until Esther's death in December, 1996.

During the entire period since WW II, Smokey gave unstintingly of his time and energy representing Canadian service personnel, veterans, British Columbians and Canadians in general at literally countless historic and commemorative and other events locally, nationally, and internationally. He served not only as a symbol and reminder of Canadians' role in all of the major conflicts of the 20th Century, but also as an inspiration to Canadian students and youth in terms of fundamental Canadian values such as service to one's country, national unity and the meaning of citizenship. He placed a high priority on and enjoyed talking with young people and attended many events, often in conjunction with the BC Principals' and Vice-Principals' Association, in which students participated. Students regularly asked to interview him for their school newspapers and to have their picture taken with him. He responded readily to constant invitations to speak or participate in events at public schools, high schools and colleges within BC and across Canada.

Until recently, he continued a demanding and unceasing round of community activities. He was always ready to participate in commemorative events with The Royal Canadian Legion within BC and the Yukon and in events organized by the Department of National Defense, Veterans Affairs Canada and other veterans’ organizations. He was a regular Guest of Honour at the annual BC Lions football game in November dedicated to veterans and was a familiar figure at Remembrance Day and other national commemorative ceremonies in the Lower Mainland, Victoria and Ottawa.

He was a member of many official Canadian delegations overseas. He assisted in the negotiations with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for the disinterment from Vimy Ridge and return to Canada of the remains of Canada's unknown soldier and represented all Canadian WW II veterans in May of 2000 in Ottawa at the consecration of Canada's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. (Few Canadians know that of the approximately 116,000 Canadian soldiers who died in the wars of the 20th century, approximately 27,000 - one in four - was unidentified when buried.)

Among Smokey's most historic and poignant official post-war assignments was as one of the Canadian delegation to France in 1967 for the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge during WW I. Another came in June 1995, at the 50th Anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy. By June of 1944, Smokey and his comrades had been slogging up the mountainous spine of Italy for ten months. He recalls news of the Normandy landings as his most memorable wartime moment. More recently he participated in pilgrimages commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Normandy landings and the Italy/Sicily campaign.

He has also represented Canada, by invitation, at ceremonies relating to WW II in Japan, Hong Kong and Burma. His continuing international obligations included an annual trip to France, at the invitation of the Government of France, to honour the graves of Canadian war dead. Every second year, by invitation of the Queen of England, he attended a one-to-two week ceremony in London, UK, which brings together all surviving recipients of the Victoria Cross and the George Cross, the highest awards in the Commonwealth for acts of valour in the military and civilian sectors, respectively.

Smokey was a lifetime member and Patron of The Royal Canadian Legion. In 1991 he was declared BC/Yukon Command of The Royal Canadian Legion's Honorary President for life. In 1996, Smokey Smith was named a Member the Order of Canada. In 2002 he received the Order of British Columbia. He was also the Honorary Patron of the Legion Foundation in BC/Yukon Command.

His honours, decorations and medals include: The Victoria Cross, the Order of Canada, the Order of British Columbia, 1939-45 Star, Italy Star, Defense Medal, Canadian Voluntary Service Medal, 1939-45 War Medal, Queen Elizabeth Coronation Medal, Canada Centennial Medal, Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal, Canada 125 Medal, Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and the Canadian Forces Service.

Smokey is survived by his son David, his daughter Norma-Jean, son-in-law Gavin Walker, grandson Dan Walker and Amanda Walker and great grand-daughter Jewele.

The Department of National Defense, in conjunction with The Royal Canadian Legion is coordinating arrangements for the funeral and burial service, which will include a public ceremony.