Heroic soldier lucky to be alive

It was the night of Oct. 21, 1944, when Private Ernest "Smoky" Smith and the rest of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada found themselves in a battle along the River Savio crossing in northern Italy.

The German army was attempting to re-take the crossing, a location over which the allies were desperate to maintain control. While shielding an injured colleague, and using only the anti-tank rockets and sub-machine gun he had around him, Smith managed to destroy two tanks, two heavy guns and hold off the German advance.

For his efforts and bravery, after the war had ended, Smith was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest decoration for heroism in combat presented throughout the Commonwealth. He joined 93 other Canadians, and 1,350 soldiers worldwide, who had been presented with the award from battles that took place between the 1856 Crimean War and the end of the Second World War.

Today, Smith is the last surviving Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross.

Born and raised in New Westminster, the 90-year-old Smith enlisted in the army in 1939 so that he could go overseas and visit Europe. Not expecting to actually go to battle, Smith ignorantly figured he'd be away for a few months, then come back home.

"I never dreamed I'd go to war," he said from his Vancouver home. "It was all a big surprise to me."

A few months turned into five years, several battles, recoveries from bullet wounds in his chest and leg and the big victory at the River Savio. According to Smith, he and five others from his Seaforth Highlanders infantry, who were known as tank hunters, were responsible for fending off the German army for several days before the allied army arrived to help.

"We had been fighting in [northern Italy] for a couple of years and we were in position across the Savio and the Germans were trying to take it back," he explained. "We had to stay there and hold our position ... but nobody ever figured we were going to be successful."

Smith couldn't remember how many of the six Highlanders survived that particular three-day battle, but he knew he was lucky to be alive when it was over.
Smith was sent to London, England, after the war, but was unsure why at the time.

When he arrived, he was told he would be one of only 16 Canadian soldiers from that war to be honored with the Victoria Cross.

Upon arrival back in Vancouver, Smith married his wife, Esther, had two children and began a lengthy career as a travel agent. He fully retired at the age of 82.

According to Smith, there are now only eight surviving Victoria Cross recipients worldwide and, despite recent injuries to his back and left leg, the soldier feels lucky to be alive.

"I've had a little run of bad luck," he said of his current aches and pains. "But I'm very proud."

Each Victoria Cross is inscripted with the words "For Valor" and none has been awarded since the Second World War. The most Canadian Victoria Crosses – 70 – were awarded in the First World War and four others were awarded after the South African Boer War (1899-1902) and after the Crimean War (1853-1856).

Kyle Berger is an award-winning freelance journalist and a graphic designer living in Richmond.