William Ernest Smith (9 March 1881 – 25 May 1945) was a New Zealand rugby union player. He was educated at Nelson College where he was a member of the 1st XV in 1897.[2] A first five-eighth, Smith represented Nelson at a provincial level, and played only one match for the national side, the All Blacks, in 1905,[3] an international against Australia in Dunedin.[2]
| Birth name | William Ernest Smith | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 9 March 1881 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Wellington, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 25 May 1945 (aged 64) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Wellington, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 90 kg (200 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Nelson College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | Accountant[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Smith served in the Canterbury Infantry Battalion in World War I and was wounded at Gallipoli.[4][5] He died in Wellington in 1945 and was buried in the soldiers' section of Karori Cemetery.[5]
References
edit- ^ Smith, William Ernest. Burial record, Cemeteries database, Wellington City Council. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
- ^ a b Chester, Rod; McMillan, Neville; Palenski, Ron (1987). The Encyclopedia of New Zealand Rugby. Auckland: Moa Publications. p. 151. ISBN 0-908570-16-3.
- ^ Knight, Lindsay. "William Smith". New Zealand Rugby Museum. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
- ^ "William Ernest Smith". Auckland War Memorial Museum. Retrieved 8 July 2022 – via Online Cenotaph.
- ^ a b "Roll of Honour". Evening Post. 26 May 1945. p. 1. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
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