Category Archives: Other Regiments

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 Smith

Army, Other Regiments, Registered War Grave

William Smith
Private R4/110946
Army Service Corps.

  William Smith Lies in a registered war grave with a CWGC headstone.  Grave number 10239.  He died on 2nd April 1916.   There are no other details and it has not been possible to obtain further information due to the limited information supplied in the CWGC register.

Richard Slyfield and brothers

Army, Other Regiments, Registered War Grave, RFC / RAF, Ypres

Richard Slyfield
298502 Air Mechanic II.
2nd F.T.S. (Duxford)

Division 65 Extension

Richard Slyfield  lived at 32 Whitley Street, Reading.  He was the son of Mrs. Althea Slyfield and the late John Slyfield. The 1911 census indicates that Althea is the head of the family and that she has five sons. The oldest is George 22, John aged 18, Robert 15, James 13 and Richard the youngest aged 10. The three older brothers are working at the biscuit factory, as a butcher’s assistant and as a milkman respectively. The younger boys are still in school.

Richard died on the 21st January 1921.  A picture and account of his funeral was published on February 5th 1921 in the Standard. Pg. 8  He is buried in the cemetery and has a CWGC headstone, grave number 13742.  He was aged 19.  The author has found no other details relating to his death.

However, a R. Slyfied (assumed to be brother Robert) , a Signaller of the same address is recorded in “Berkshire and the War”  as being awarded a Military Medal for bravery.   He was at the time with another Signaller, William Ayres, also from Reading who was later commemorated on the War Memorial plaque of the Alfred Sutton School.

The medal was awarded for “mending a telephone line at great risk”, when in action near Contalmaison 11th -14th July 1916.  The London Gazette 1/9/1916 records the citation “for good work and bravery”.  The work of a signaller was  dangerous and vital. Communications when in the front line were often broken and the signaller had the job of effecting repairs under the most trying of circumstances.

Private 27003 James Slyfield 2nd Battalion Wiltshire Regt., the brother of Richard Slyfield, died on the 31st July 1917, the opening day of the Third Battle of Ypres, on a battlefield that had turned to a sea of mud a result of the combined effects of heavy rain and bombardment by shells.  James  Slyfield has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ypres Memorial to the Missing, Menin Gate, Panel 53.  Like Richard he was 19 years old when he died.