Editing Issy Smith (section)

==Legacy==
[[File:Maurice Smith wearing Issy Smith's medals.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=Black and white photograph of three boys. The two boys in the centre and right-hand side of the photo are wearing formal suits with medals pinned on the left-hand side of their chest. Only part of the head of the third boy is visible on the left-hand side of the photo.|Maurice Smith (centre) wearing his father's medals]]
Despite his fame and popularity, like many former servicemen contending with post-war economic hardship, Smith struggled financially – a predicament compounded by illness.<ref>Jewish Chronicle, 20 January 1922, p. 9.</ref> As a consequence he pawned his medals for [[Pound sterling|£]]20, only for them to be recovered by the [[Jewish Historical Society of England|Jewish Historical Society]] on the urging of the wife of Chief Rabbi [[Joseph Hertz]] and ultimately reunited with Smith.<ref>Jewish Chronicle, 28 November 1924, p. 13.</ref><ref name="JC 95">Jewish Chronicle, 6 October 1995, p. 6.</ref> Smith's varied occupations in post-war Britain included work as an actor with a theatre troupe.<ref>Grimsby Evening Telegraph, 7 September 2006.</ref> He had married his wife Elsie (née McKechnie) at [[Camberwell]] Register Office, followed by a formal ceremony held at Central [[Synagogue]], Hallam Street, as an observance of Jewish religious tradition.{{sfn|Knight|2022|pp=484}} Whether there was disapproval by the family, this is not known.{{sfn|Knight|2022|pp=480-481}} The family relocated from Camberwell to Hackney later that year.{{sfn|Knight|2022|pp=485}} The marriage to Elsie produced two children (Olive and Maurice, born 1919 and 1932 (died 2020) respectively). He emigrated to Australia in 1927.{{sfn|Knight|2022|pp=620-621}}

The family settled in [[Moonee Ponds, Victoria|Moonee Ponds]], Melbourne, where Smith's standing in the Jewish community became high. There he joined the Essendon sub branch of the [[Returned and Services League of Australia]] (RSL).{{sfn|Knight|2022|pp=627-628}} In 1928, he was appointed manager of [[Associated British Picture Corporation|British International Pictures]] in Melbourne, and then worked for [[Dunlop Australia|Dunlop Rubber Company]]. His final job was with the Civil Aviation Board at [[Essendon Airport]]. Appointed a [[Justice of the Peace]] in 1930, Smith tried politics as a candidate in the [[1931 Australian federal election|1931 federal election]] for the [[United Australia Party]], contesting the seat of [[Division of Melbourne|Melbourne]] in the [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]], and "seriously challenged the hitherto unassailable [[William Maloney (politician)|Dr Maloney]]".<ref name="Times 1931"/>{{sfn|Knight|2022|pp=723-752}}

On 20 February 1940, he sent a letter, to apply to join the [[Second Australian Imperial Force]]. A Major Barrett replied, to advise there were presently no suitable vacancies, but if he could provide the particulars of his army service and age, for future guidance, it would be appreciated. He sent a response to the Major, dated 4 March 1940, a copy of which is with the family. He stated that his date of birth was 18th September 1890.{{sfn|Knight|2022|pp=879-880, 1124-1125}}

Smith died of [[coronary thrombosis]] on 10 September 1940.{{sfn|Knight|2022|pp=1127-1128}} He was buried in the Jewish section of Fawkner Cemetery with full military honours. His medals were sold by his family in 1990, and auctioned 5 years later as part of a special collection of Medals to the Manchester Regiment, selling for £35,288 ([[United States Dollar|US$]]75,000).<ref name="DNW">{{cite web|url=https://www.noonans.co.uk/auctions/archive/lot-archive/results/20694/  |title=Lot № 532 The Great War Victoria Cross group of eight [medals] awarded to Corporal Issy Smith, 1st Battalion, The Manchester Regiment, the first Jewish N.C.O. to be so honoured |publisher=noonans.co.uk |access-date=3 August 2007|quote=Auctioned on 10 October 1995}}</ref><ref name="JC 95"/>

Following representations from the [[Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women]],<ref name="Rashty">{{cite news | url=http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/111722/u-turn-means-world-war-one-hero-will-be-honoured |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304092843/http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/111722/u-turn-means-world-war-one-hero-will-be-honoured | title=U-turn means World War One hero will be honoured | work=[[The Jewish Chronicle]] | date=24 September 2013 |archive-date=4 March 2016 | access-date=24 September 2013 | author=Rashty, Sandy}}</ref> [[Communities Secretary]] [[Eric Pickles]] announced in September 2013 that the plan, to memorialise the 482 British-born [[First World War]] Victoria Cross medal holders by laying commemorative paving stones in their home towns, would be extended to the 145 born overseas include Smith. At the time of the announcement, it was believed he was born in Egypt.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7f5ceced915d74e622a017/Commemorating_the_overseas-born_Victoria_Cross_Heroes.pdf |date=5 March 2015 |work=[[First World War centenary]] programme |title=Commemorating the overseas-born Victoria Cross Heroes}}</ref> He is commemorated in Rope Walk Gardens, a few minutes walk away from the location of Berners Street School in [[Whitechapel]].
<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/issy-smith-vc |title=Issy Smith VC |website=www.londonremembers.com
|series=map plots of memorials |quote=Unveiled shortly before 1 Dec 2015, probably on 23 November 2015}}</ref>