IN 1942, a 20-year-old from Balranald joined the army and headed to war in Papua New Guinea. This week will see the short life of that soldier, Richard Smith, remembered in a ceremony at the Australian War Memorial. 

Here, journalist EMMA MANSER tells his story.

BALRANALD lad Richard 'Dickie' Smith was a 20-year-old shop assistant at Ernest Cornish's grocery store when he enlisted to fight...