Percy Clifford Smith was born in Ballarat and was a Clerk by trade when he enlisted in the 31st Battalion, C Company on 13 July 1915 at the age of 28. His unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A62 Wandilla on 9 November 1915. On July 21st 1916 in Australia's earliest battle on the Somme, he was wounded in action, suffering shell shock. He was evacuated to a military hospital in Kent, England, and further illness meant he was unable to rejoin his battalion in France until October 1917. He was wounded a second time on June 26th 1918 when he suffered a gunshot wound to his right thigh. Again he was evacuated to England but instead of returning to France he was returned to Australia. He returned home on the Trasos Montes and disembarked at Melbourne on May 22nd 1919.

His brother, Driver Leslie John Smith, Army Motor Transport Company, also served. (Tree No. 1365)
Tree No. 1149