Sir John Smyth, 1st Baronet

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Drawing of Lieut. Smyth's VC action, from The War Illustrated, August 1915.

Brigadier Sir John George Smyth, 1st Baronet, VC MC (25 October 1893, Teignmouth – 26 April 1983, Marylebone) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He later became a Conservative Member of Parliament.

Jackie Smyth was educated at Repton and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was 21 years old, and a lieutenant in the 15th Ludhiana Sikhs, 3rd (Lahore) Division, Indian Army during the First World War.

On 18 May 1915 near Richebourg L'Aouve, France, with a volunteer bombing party of ten men, Lieutenant Smyth conveyed a supply of 96 bombs to within twenty yards of the enemy's position over exceptionally dangerous ground, after the attempts of two other parties had failed. Lieutenant Smyth succeeded in taking the bombs to the desired position with the help of two of his men (the other eight having been killed or wounded). To achieve this purpose he had to swim a stream, being exposed the whole time to howitzer, shrapnel, machine-gun and rifle fire.

Smyth commanded the Indian 19th and 17th Infantry Divisions as an acting major general during the Second World War. Smyth reverted to the rank of brigadier by the time of his retirement from the army in 1942. He went into politics and stood unsuccessfully against Ernest Bevin in Wandsworth at the 1945 general election. At the 1950 election, he defeated the sitting Labour MP for Norwood. He was made a baronet 23 January 1956 and a Privy Counsellor in 1962.

Smyth was also an author, a playwright, a journalist and a broadcaster. His two brothers were also distinguished soldiers, one of whom also became a Brigadier. He married twice: firstly Margaret Dundas on 22 July 1920, later dissolved, with whom he had three sons and a daughter; and then Frances Read on 12 April 1940. He was cremated at Golders Green cemetery. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Imperial War Museum (London, England).

[edit] References

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• Scotland's Forgotten Valour (Graham Ross, 1995)
• VCs of the First World War - The Western Front 1915 (Peter F. Batchelor & Christopher Matson, 1999)

[edit] Bibliography

• Leadership in War, 1939-45; Generals in Victory and Defeat
• Leadership in battle 1914-1918 : commanders in action
• Story of the George Cross
• The game's the same
• Victoria Cross 1856-1964
• The only enemy
• Paradise Island
• Trouble in Paradise
• Ann Goes Hunting

[edit] External links

• Location of grave and VC medal (Golders Green)