Category Archives: Battlefield Areas

Edgar Sidney Smith

Army, Cambrai, Commemorated name/s, Other Regiments, St. Laurence's Church

Edgar Sidney Smith
Private G/8052 6th Battalion
The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment)

 Division 2

Smith Edgar S photo

Edgar Sidney Smith, according to the commemoration on the family grave kerb stones was “Killed in Action” in France on November 30th 1917.  However, the CWGC search revealed that the date of death was 20th November 1917.  His home address is given as 33, London Road, Reading.  Early reports recorded him as missing.

 The 20th November 1917, heralded the surprise British Advance on Cambrai.  The 3rd Army under the command of Lt.-General Byng, attacked along a 10mile front, between St. Quentin and the River Scarpe.  The “Hindenburg Line” was broken and numerous villages and over 8,000 German prisoners were captured.  The outstanding feature of this advance on Cambrai was that it was not preceded by any preliminary bombardment, the British relied entirely on the use of tanks to break down the dense masses of the enemy’s wire.  Though the extreme limits of the attack were Epehy and Fountaine, places some thirty miles apart, the main attack was concentrated on the front between the Bapaume-Cambrai and P¾ronne roads.  Having quietly accumulated a large number of tanks in this section, at the pre-arranged moment early in the morning these moved forward, the infantry following in their wake.  The novelty and daring of the manoeuvre took the Germans by surprise, and the “Hindenburg line,” considered by them as impregnable, was swiftly penetrated to a depth of several miles by the British.

 In the ten days after the initial attack the British consolidated along the front with particularly severe fighting taking place around the village and wood of Bourlon.  There was a strong German counter attack on the 25th November and heavy shelling of the wood on the 28th November.  The 30th November brought a successful German counterattack which penetrated British positions and Bourlon Wood was eventually evacuated by the British on the 4th December.  The Battle of Cambrai officially ended on 7th December 1917.

Edgar Smith is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial to the Missing, panel 3.  The inscription on the Memorial states:

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND TO THE ENDURING MEMORY OF 7048 OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE FORCES OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE WHO FELL AT THE BATTLE OF CAMBRAI BETWEEN THE 20TH NOVEMBER AND THE 3RD DECEMBER 1917, WHOSE NAMES ARE HERE RECORDED BUT TO WHOM THE FORTUNES OF WAR DENIED THE KNOWN AND HOUNOURED BURIAL GIVEN TO THEIR COMRADES IN DEATH.

Leonard Smith, Cecil Trice Smith, Cornelius Smith & Archibald Smith

Army, Arras, Canadian, Commemorated name/s, Other Regiments, Somme

Division 74 Extension

Smith bros Leo Corn Cecil A

Leonard, Cornelius and Cecil Trice Smith were the sons of  Albert and Alice Smith of 42, De Beauvior Road, Reading.  They are named on the headstone of their parents grave. Grave number 17619.   Archibald Smith, who is pictured with Leonard and Cecil is assumed to be another son and to have survived the war. The 1901 census indicates that the family were living in South Western Cottages, Basingstoke and that Albert was a train carriage examiner and son Archibald, then 14, was a boiler riveter. Cecil, the oldest at 16wasnot recorded as having an occupation. Cornelius was aged 10 and Leonard was 4 years old. They had two sisters Dorcus aged 6 and Alice 2 months. 

 Leonard Smith
Rifleman R/12278
1st Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps

 He was reported missing on 27th July 1916, and was reported to have died on or after that date.  He was 19 years old.  His is named on the family grave along with his brothers.

Leonard Smith is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, the Somme,  Pier and Face 13A & 13B.

 Cecil Trice Smith
Sergeant 132088
73rd Battalion Canadian Infantry (Quebec)

Smith CT grave

Cecil Trice Smith was married to E. M. Smith of 21 Linwood Terrace, Abingdon.  He was killed in action on 9th April 1917 and is buried in Zouave Valley Cemetery, Souchez, location I.G.1.

The Battle of Arras began on the 9th April.  The Canadians took Vimy Ridge in a well rehearsed battle which involved the use of underground tunnels to move masses of troops unseen and close to the German trenches.  Cecil Smith was killed during this action but where exactly is not clear.  He is buried in Plot I of the cemetery which was made after the Armistice by the concentration of graves from a wide area around Souchez.

Cornelius Smith
Lance Corporal WR/263564 29th Broad Gauge Company
Royal Engineers 

Smith Cornelius grave

Cornelius Smith was killed an air raid on Boulogne on 1st August 1918.  He is buried in Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille Plot II. A. 7.

 Archibald Smith
Sergeant
Canadian Expeditionary Force

 Archibald Smith is the brother of Leonard and Cecil Trice Smith.  He appears on the photograph accompanying this biography.  However, it has not been possible to find information about him when carrying out a CWGC search.  It has been assumed by the author that Archibald Smith survived the war and his brothers, Archibald’s name does not appear on the family headstone.

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.