George Smith (chaplain) George Smith (chaplain) 'Padre' George Smith (8 January 1845 – 26/27 November 1918), Army Chaplain, was a defender of Rorke's Drift during the Zulu War of 1879, an action which saw the winning of eleven Victoria Crosses. Born in Docking in Norfolk in 1845, 'Padre' George Smith served as a missionary in South Africa from 1870. However, he is best remembered for his part in the famous defence of Rorke's Drift during the Zulu War of 1877–79 which won him the praise of several officers involved in that action in their reports. As an assistant army chaplain, and therefore a
19th Battalion (Australia) There are 874 names of 19th Battalion personnel killed in action recorded on the Australian War Memorial (AWM) Roll of Honour. Members of the 19th Battalion received the following decorations: one Victoria Cross, five Distinguished Service Orders (DSOs), one Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), 20 Distinguished Conduct Medals (DCMs), 31 Military Crosses (MCs), 90 Military Medals (MMs), eight Meritorious Service Medals (MSMs) and 19 Mentions in Despatches (MIDs). For its war service, the battalion was awarded 20 battle honours. Shortly before the end of World War I, Australia's home military force was re-organised into multi-battalion regiments,