Sidney Earle Smith was a native of Port Hood Island, Nova Scotia. Sidney was born and raised on Port Hood Island. In 1911 his parents sold their Island home and property and moved to Windsor, Nova Scotia. He was educated at Port Hood Island School, Port Hood Academy, University of King’s College, Dalhousie and Harvard.

In May, 1916, he joined the Royal Canadian Garrison Artillery for a two month course at Citadel Hill. On Sept. 26, No. 8 Canadian Siege Battery sailed for England and was stationed at Witley Camp, and became No. 9. The unit went into action during the Battle of Vimy Ridge. From then on, up to and including Passchendaele, No. 9 Seige Battery was in almost constant action. In 1918 he was sent to England to train for the Royal Air Force. Early in 1919 he returned to Canada.

Following the war he became a lawyer. He lectured at Osgoode Hall law school in Toronto 1925-1929. He was Dean of Dalhousie Law from 1929-34; President of University of Manitoba 1934-43; President of University of Toronto 1945-57. He was appointed Minister of External Affairs by Prime Minister John Diefenbaker on Sept 12th, 1957 and was elected to the House of Commons two months later. A cairn in his memory was unveiled in Port Hood on July 22nd, 1964.

His Regimental number is 1257552.

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