When returning home from war for the first time since he'd left after his garrison duty in Bermuda he was emotionally and physically a wreck. In an interview with Vincent's relatives they noted that he had changed significantly because of his experience on the battlefield. Vincent had just lost his brother in battle and had wounds to his sacral region, and his left flank (part of the body located between the ribs and the hip.) He had received shrapnel wounds due to the exploding of the bomb that went off, during the battle.
When Vincent had left for war he had 9/9 vision in both his right and left eye, during the bombing he had suffered vision loss, returning home with 6/9 vision in both eyes. When it came to the day of February 1, 1918 Vincent received the regimental number 881. When Vincent had signed his attestation papers to return to war in 1918, he lived at #8 Allen Place in Ottawa (1). This confirms that his mother (Sarah Smith) had to have emigrated over to Canada between 1918 and 1921 where she appears in the 1921 Ottawa, Ontario census (2).
At the time of his second participation in war Vincent had become a mechanical dentist. The first time he had signed up for war in 1915 the medical officers declared Vincent as unfit, but when he signed his papers for the second time in 1918, they declared him as fit. Being that he was said to be fit during his second enlistment, Canada may have been desperate for soldiers, or he may have really become fit while training. Written in Vincent's papers in 1918 he was described as having a medium dark complexion, blue eyes, and dark brown hair. Between the time of when he signed his attestation papers in 1915 and again in 1918 his chest when fully expand had grown 1 inch and had lost 1 inch for range of expansion in his lungs. (1)
Below is Vincent Smith's attestation papers when returning to war for the second time in 1918.
When Vincent had left for war he had 9/9 vision in both his right and left eye, during the bombing he had suffered vision loss, returning home with 6/9 vision in both eyes. When it came to the day of February 1, 1918 Vincent received the regimental number 881. When Vincent had signed his attestation papers to return to war in 1918, he lived at #8 Allen Place in Ottawa (1). This confirms that his mother (Sarah Smith) had to have emigrated over to Canada between 1918 and 1921 where she appears in the 1921 Ottawa, Ontario census (2).
At the time of his second participation in war Vincent had become a mechanical dentist. The first time he had signed up for war in 1915 the medical officers declared Vincent as unfit, but when he signed his papers for the second time in 1918, they declared him as fit. Being that he was said to be fit during his second enlistment, Canada may have been desperate for soldiers, or he may have really become fit while training. Written in Vincent's papers in 1918 he was described as having a medium dark complexion, blue eyes, and dark brown hair. Between the time of when he signed his attestation papers in 1915 and again in 1918 his chest when fully expand had grown 1 inch and had lost 1 inch for range of expansion in his lungs. (1)
Below is Vincent Smith's attestation papers when returning to war for the second time in 1918.
War Diaries
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/e/e040/e000977244.jpg
When Vincent returned to war he stayed until his battalion left war in May 1919. The final days in France the 38th battalion had been celebrating with parades and parties. During this time Vincent and his buddies from his battalion broke into a small jewellers shop in France. Here they took a few souvenirs for themselves and their families back home.
To search more and read more pages from the war diaries of the 38th battalion use this.
http://data4.collectionscanada.ca/netacgi/nph-brs
s1=38th+battalion&s13=&s12=&l=20&s9=RG9&s7=9-52&Sect1=IMAGE&Sect2=THESOFF&Sect4=AND&Sect5=WARDPEN&Sect6=HITOFF&d=FIND&p=1&u=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/archivianet/02015202_e.html&r=1&f=G
When Vincent returned to war he stayed until his battalion left war in May 1919. The final days in France the 38th battalion had been celebrating with parades and parties. During this time Vincent and his buddies from his battalion broke into a small jewellers shop in France. Here they took a few souvenirs for themselves and their families back home.
To search more and read more pages from the war diaries of the 38th battalion use this.
http://data4.collectionscanada.ca/netacgi/nph-brs
s1=38th+battalion&s13=&s12=&l=20&s9=RG9&s7=9-52&Sect1=IMAGE&Sect2=THESOFF&Sect4=AND&Sect5=WARDPEN&Sect6=HITOFF&d=FIND&p=1&u=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/archivianet/02015202_e.html&r=1&f=G
1 - Military service file of Vincent Smith
2 - Information obtained from Ancestry International at www.ancestry.ca. Information accessed on 15 October 2014.
2 - Information obtained from Ancestry International at www.ancestry.ca. Information accessed on 15 October 2014.