▁he ▁himself ▁stayed ▁on ▁board ▁and ▁went ▁down ▁with ▁his ▁ship . ▁ ▁His ▁c itation ▁reads : ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁Mer chant ▁se aman , ▁he ▁could ▁not ▁receive ▁the ▁V C ▁at ▁that ▁time . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁he ▁was ▁post hum ously ▁promoted ▁a ▁temporary ▁lieutenant ▁in ▁the ▁Royal ▁Naval ▁Reserve ▁and ▁was ▁then ▁entitled ▁to ▁receive ▁the ▁V C ▁post hum ously . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁British ▁Mer chant ▁se aman ▁who ▁has ▁no ▁known ▁grave , ▁he ▁is ▁comm emor ated ▁on ▁the ▁Tower ▁Hill ▁Memorial . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 0 ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁a ▁mem orial ▁stone ▁was ▁laid ▁at ▁School hill , ▁Aber de en , ▁to ▁comm emor ate ▁the ▁cent en ary ▁of ▁the ▁award ▁of ▁the ▁V C . ▁ ▁His ▁V C ▁is ▁preserved ▁at ▁the ▁P & O ▁Heritage ▁Collection ▁in ▁London . ▁ ▁Personal ▁life ▁Smith ▁was ▁born ▁at ▁Cos ie ▁Bra e ▁in ▁Cult s ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁December ▁ 1 8 7 8 , ▁one ▁of ▁five ▁children ▁of ▁William ▁Smith , ▁an ▁account ant ▁and ▁wh oles ale ▁merchant , ▁and ▁An nie ▁Smith ▁( née ▁Nicol ), ▁both ▁originally ▁from ▁Rh ynie . ▁William ▁Smith ▁was ▁a ▁desc endant ▁of ▁B old ▁Peter ▁Smith , ▁a ▁Jacob ite ▁killed ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁C ull oden . ▁ ▁Arch ib ald ▁was ▁a ▁student ▁at ▁Robert ▁Gordon ' s ▁College ▁before ▁joining ▁the ▁Mer chant ▁Navy ▁in