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William Rowsell Smith

Commemorated name/s, Park Congregational Church War Memorial, Ypres

William Rowsell Smith
Private 33989
6th Battalion Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry

SMITH FAMILY CULVER ROAD

 

William Rowsell Smith was the son of Mr Frederick William Smith a hairdresser of The Arcade, Reading and Mrs Anne Amelia Smith of, Melrose, Culver Road, Reading.  He was one of four brothers who served during the war.

 William Smith is remembered on the grave of his parents and other family members.  He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West Vlaanderen, Belgium.  Panel 80 to 82 and 163A.

He was killed on 22nd August 1917, aged 21, during the very heavy fighting of the battle of 3rd Ypres.

 William Rowsell Smith is also commemorated on the Park Church Memorial.

Horace William Smith

Army, Commemorated name/s, Royal Berkshire Regiment

Horace William Smith
Private 5329614
1st Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment

 Division 63

SMITH HW

Horace William Smith,  was the son of Mr and Mrs W. Smith, of 61 Cardigan Road,  Reading.  His wife was Dorothy Smith, of 6, Providence Place, Reading.  He died on 23rd July 1921, aged 23. He is buried in the Bagdad (north Gate) War Cemetery, Iraq.   Location III. A. 7.

 No other information is available due to the large numbers of men with similar names.

William Smith

Alfred Sutton School War Memorial, Registered War Grave

William Smith
Private 37581
1st  Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment

Division 55

Smith W (AS sch) photo Smith W (AS sch) grave

A William Smith is named on the Alfred Sutton School war memorial. Berkshire and the War revealed the picture above of William Thomas Smith.  The headstone is to W. Smith, of the Royal Berkshire Regiment who was the son of Samuel William and Mary Smith,
of  17, Parnell Street, Reading.  William died March 7th 1917, aged 19.  He is buried at Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, a village not far from the town of Albert.   

The picture above is of a William Thomas Smith,  a different address is given for the parents – 34 Westbourne Terrace. It is possible that the family had moved by the time the gravewasregistered. However, the boy in the picture is 19 years and the caption says died of wounds.  It is possible that they are one and the same person. 

 However, there is also a William Smith in the CWGC register for Reading Cemetery, this man is listed as:

SMITH,  Pte. William, R4/110946.  Army Service Corps. 2nd April, 1916

He is  buried in Division 55, Grave number 10239.   

There are no other details.  This entry serves to highlight some of the difficulties that a researcher has to deal with especially when personal details were omitted from registration forms.