B65901 Rifleman William “Bill” Smith was born in Wyebridge, Ontario on 16 May 1908, the son of Sydney Smith and Sarah MacIntyre. He had two sisters and four brothers and left school at 16.

Smith was working for a building contractor in Sundridge, Ontario when he enlisted in Toronto with the 3rd Battalion, The Queen’s Own Rifles on 9 September 1942 and then trained at Camp Niagara and Debert, Nova Scotia. He appears to have lied about his age on attestation papers showing his birthdate as 1910 perhaps to avoid being considered too old to enlist.

Smith arrived in the United Kingdom on 20 September 1943 and was posted to the 1st Battalion QOR on 16 December 1943.  He continued to train with the Regiment until D-Day.

Rifleman Smith landed on Juno Beach with D Company on D-Day 5 June 1944. He was killed in action aged 46 on 11 June during the battle for the village of Le Mesnil Patry.

He is buried in Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, grave reference III. B. 5.