Category Archives: Commemorated name/s

Albert William Smith & Edwin George Smith

Army, Commemorated name/s, Loos, Other Regiments, Royal Berkshire Regiment, Ypres

Albert W. Smith
Sergeant 9th Siege Battalion
Royal Garrison Artillery.

 Division 34

Smith AW & EG and bros phot

Both Albert and Edwin are commemorated in the Reading Cemetery on the grave of their  parents George and Matilda Smith. The grave is marked by a small opened book. The 1901 census records indicate the names of the brothers as Edwin, Albert, Sidney and Charles. There are two younger brothers also named Ernest and Reginald. George Smith and Edwin were listed as farm labourers. It has not been possible to find information after 1901.

Smith AW photo

Albert W. Smith, known as Bert and “Fatty” died of wounds on 17th July 1917, after nine years of service, aged 27.  He was the second son of George and Matilda Smith.

 Bert died ten days after his return to France from leave.  (It was actually Belgium and he received wounds during a time which the British carried out some successful raids in the Ypres sector, two weeks prior to the Third Battle of Ypres)

He is buried at La Clytte Military Cemetery, Belgium. Location II. F. 18.

 The family remembered the anniversary of his death –

In memoriam Std. July 19th 1919- Smith – “In loving memory of my dear brother….

In a soldier’s grave in a foreign land
Lies a brother true and kind,
We little thought when we said goodbye
‘Twas our last parting-you were to die.
Though the blow was cruel, we miss you still,
In grief we must bend to God’s will.

His loving sister, Nancy, 4. Laurel Cottage, Basingstoke Rd. Whitley, Berks.

Edwin George Smith
Private 15512
 8th  Battalion. Royal Berkshire Regiment 

Edwin George Smith, is commemorated on the Loos Memorial to the Missing Panels 93 -95. He died on the 25th September 1915, the first day of the Battle of Loos.  He was the eldest of the four Smith brothers.  

Standard January 10th 1920

In proud memory ….
Till the morning breaks and the shadows flee away. RIP  
From their ever loving Mother and sisters and brothers. 

also from sister Nancy – Edwin George Smith and Albert William Smith

They too loved life, but loving, dared not stay,
Lest those they loved should pay the price,
Sunshine and youth and laughter, all they gave in sacrifice.

William Spencer Smallwood

Commemorated name/s, RFC / RAF, St. Laurence's Church, Y.M.C.A.

William Spencer Smallwood
2nd Lieutenant
22nd Squadron Royal Flying Corps and General List.

 Division 79 Extension

Smallwood WS photo Smallwood WS grave

William Smallwood died on 25th January 1918, aged 19.  He was the son of William and Ellen Rebecca Smallwood, of  Knaresborough Lodge, Alexandra Road, Reading.  He is commemorated on the family grave. Number 16384.   The inscription states that he was killed in action and interred at Lapugnoy Military Cemetery.  The grave location is VIII. A. 13.

 The site of Lapugnoy Military Cemetery was chosen in 1915 in preparation for the British offensive which took place in September around Loos.  Further burials,  in great number, took place in 1917 during the Battles of Arras.  The dead were brought mainly from casualty clearing stations but in May and August 1918, fighting units used the cemetery.

 The author does not known exactly what action William Smallwood was participating in when he was killed but in the days before his death and on the day he died there was a great deal of aircraft activity and bombing action in the Flanders and Northern France.

 The 1911 census indicates that the family consisted of two sons and a daughter. It is believed that William’s brother lived into his eighties and may have spent some time in Canada or the USA.

Slade brothers, friends Atrill, Alldridge, Beechwood – Slade

Canadian, Commemorated name/s, Other Regiments

The Slade family grave, number 11233; Berkshire Family History Society classification 44L26, commemorates the names of five ‘Dear friends, Killed in Action’.  There were five Slade brothers serving in the army according to a cutting taken from the paper.  In many newspaper reports the family address is given as Brunswick Street, Reading.  It is known that the father also resided at 10, York Place, Reading.

  SLADE FAMILY

 

Alexander Alldridge DCM
CSM 9558 2nd South Lancashire Regiment

ATRILL P ATTRELLCSM CEM

 Alexander Alldridge, was the son of George Joseph and Edith Alldridge, of 9, Wood Street, Earlestown, Lancashire.  He was killed on 13th July 1916 aged 23 and is buried at Bapaume Post Military Cemetery, Albert.  Location I.E.14.

 P. F. Attrill
Serjeant 8329
2nd   Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment

 Percy Attrill   lived at 42, Brunswick Street and 101,   Brunswick Street, Reading.  He was aged   32 when he died on the 3rd July 1916.   He is buried at Lonsdale Cemetery,   Authuile, Somme.  Location VI. V.3

Percy,   who had married into the Slade family, had already served eleven years in the   army when war broke out.  The first   reports about him in ‘The Standard’, appeared in February 1915.  Percy had been wounded in the right arm   during the Battle of Aisne, September 20th 1914.  He was sent for treatment at No.5 Base  hospital and spent one week in hospital in Cambridge.  His injuries resulted in tetanus and for a  time he had lock-jaw, there was also a worry that he would loose the use of   three fingers on his right hand.  However, he obviously recovered because he was posted as missing on  July 3rd 1916.  His wife,   Edith, was seeking information about his whereabouts through out September   1916.  Later the reports also included   A.E. Slade .

 

Albert Edward Slade
Lance Corporal G/25352
16th Battalion Royal Fusiliers

SLADE FAMILY 2 BROS KIA

 Albert   E. Slade  lived at 101,  Brunswick Street, Reading.  He died on   the 23rd July 1916.  He is   buried at Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval, Somme.  Location XXII. H.5.

At the time of the 1911 census the family were recodedasliving at 60, Weldale Street.  Albert was recorded as widower and a printers labourer,specifically a stone cleaner. His brother Ernest was recorded as an engine cleaner for the railways and brother Reginald worked in the tin factory making biscuit tins.  Albert Slade was remembered by his   father, brothers and sisters in ‘In Memoriam’, Reading Standard, 20th   July 1918.

Two years have passed and still to memory dear,
We think of him   and shed a silent tear
Friends may   think the wound is healed
But sorrow   beneath a smile if oft concealed.

S. Slade Lance Corporal
G/25352 16th Battalion   Royal Fusiliers

 S.Slade  lived at Old Didcot.  He died on the 19th April   1918.  He is buried in the St. Sever   Cemetery Extension, Rouen.  Location P.   XI. L. 10B.

Lance  Corporal Slade died as a result of gas poisoning at No.3 Stationary Hospital   France.  He was the youngest of the   Slade brothers.

 

J.F. Beechwood Private 207069 Royal Canadian Regiment

 J.F.Beechwood died on the 9th April 1917.  He is buried in La Chaudiere Military Cemetery, Vimy, Pas de Calais.  Location VII.E.19