....Mr Charles Smith, Glasgow, has just received word of the death in Melbourne, Australia, of his brother, Alexander Craigen Smith, a native of Culter, and veteran of many wars.
....He was a son of the late Mr James Smith, overseer of the Culter estates, and a member of a well=known Deeside athletic family. In his youth he was a member of the old 5th V.B.G.H., and during the Boer War joined the S.A.C., locally known as Baden-Powell's Police. He served through the South African War, and stayed on in Africa. On the outbreak of the Zulu rebellion in 1908 he served with the Johanesburg Highlanders.
....Later, in German West Africa, he fought for the Germans against the natives of that colony and afterwards went to Australia.
....He was prospecting some 200 miles in the bush when word came by a native runner of the Great War, and he immediately treked south and joined the 5th Australian Division (Victoria), and landed in Egypt and the Dardanelles.
....He was blown up by a shell in the Dardanelles and received severe injuries, from which he recovered, but with a unique souvenir of having to live the remainder of his days with his heart reversed. He was discharged with a short time to live, but he obtained a post as master of works under the Australian Post Office, and has lived about sixteen years with the heart handicapped.
....He had the unusual experience of possessing five British and one German medal. He leaves a widow in Australia.
Aberdeen Journal, Tuesday 21 November 1933
Possibly
www.findagrave.com/memorial/207868087/alexander-c-smith
In the Australian First World Embarkation Roll, he was 127 Private Alexander Craigen Smith, single, age at enlistment was 33, trade was a carpenter. His address at date of enrolment was care of Mrs A. McKee, 17 Princes Street, Fitzroy, Victoria, and his next-of-kin was his half-brother A. McKee, of the previous address. His religion was Presbyterian.
www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1801787?image=1
