SOLDIER INFORMATION FROM OTHER SOURCES

 THE LIST BELOW IS MADE UP OF OTHER WW1 SOLDIERS SENT TO ME BY OTHER PEOPLE

HILL THOMAS, Private 3151, 44th Coy., Machine Gun Corps., (Inf) died on Thursday July 6, 1916, son on Samuel Hill and Ellen Reed Hill of

5 Vicarage Lane Kingsthorpe. Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France [CONTACT mclarke@accel.net]

HILL GEORGE, Able Seaman, (RFR/P/)/B5058. R.N. H.M.S. Good hope, Royal Navy who died on Sunday, November 1st, 1914, aged 29, at the

Battle of Coronel, son of Samuel Hill and Ellen Reed Hill of 5 Vicarage Lane, Kingsthorpe. Commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial,

Hamshire, United Kingdom. [CONTACT mclarke@accel.net]

   PALMER GEORGE

PINCKARD - click here for more details

SMART HERBERT, Cheshire Regiment - email cooper@bos1.fsnet.co.uk

Herbert Smart was born 20^th September 1878 in Kingsthorpe Northamptonshire.He was the son of Samuel Smart a shoe riveter and Alice Poole .Herbert was married to Mary Ann Martin on the 5^th October 1908 at Primrose Hill Congregational Church Northampton. Over the next six years they produced four children Mabel , Minnie, Frederick and Herbert. .He had various building trade jobs as he grew up but on enlisting he was a scaffolder,a job what he was described as being very good at. Herbert was 37 years 11 months old and only 5 feet 2 ¾ inches tall on volunteering for active duty at Northampton . He joined Royal Engineers on the 23^rd August 1915 . On the 1 August 1916 whilst training as a sapper at Killinghall camp he was caught out of bound ,trespassing on Pot Bridge Farm. His punishment being 2 days confined to barracks.

Herbert was subsequently transferred to the 16th Cheshire Regiment , which was a Bantam regiment consisting of men who would not normally meet the height requirement of the British army. Private Herbert Smart Service No: 58002 was ordered to France in September 1916. On 30 December 1916 he travelled from Southampton to Rouen joining the BEF

Via the 9^th Cheshire regiment he was posted to the 16^th Cheshire Regiment on the 13 January 1917. Soon after this he was again in trouble ,“whilst on active service conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline in that he in the field on or about 4-2-17 signed on a green envelope AFW3078 the certificate that the contents of the said envelope referred to nothing but private and family matters well knowing that the contents of the said envelope was not as described in the said certificate. Herbert was tried on the 3^rd November He was found guilty and sentenced to 60 days field punishment confirmed by Brig General Marindin commanding 105 infantry brigade who directed that 39 days of the sentence be remitted.

According to National roll of the Great War 1914-1918 Herbert fought and survived the Battle of Arras but on the 22 October 1917 he was injured ,sustaining gunshot wounds to his legs . On this date the 16^th Cheshire’s were involved in a diversionary attack east of Poelcapelle and the ground south of Houlthulst Forest. Herbert arrived back in Blighty on the 3^rd November 1917 probably to recover from his wounds. Time at “Home” ended on the 23^rd of May 1918 when he travelled back to France.

Again via the 9^th (service ) Battalion he proceeded to the 15^th Cheshire battalion on the 1^st of June 1918 joining them in the field on the 5^th of June 1918. This is around the time when tide of war was turning in favour of the Allies and whilst holding positions in the St. Jan Cappel sector the Cheshires were able to see the Germans torching buildings as they retreated. Throughout September the Battalion rotated in and out of the trenches between Western edge of Zillebeke lake and the canel at the intersection of the Ypres- Lille road. They were also involved in an attack where they were to capture the line between Tenbreiken Village to Blagnaert Farm which was conducted in heavy mist and rainfall. Despite heavy losses due to heavy bombardments of explosive and gas shells and machine gun fire their objective was finally reached. This was the end of trench warfare for the Cheshires and they now were chasing the enemy across open land

The Cheshire Battalion crossed the River Lys just before midnight on the 19^th of October ,halting briefly near the tile works in Marckbeeke. Several hours later they moved to the village of Pottleberg, south of Courtrai The brigade launched an attack on objectives to the South east of Courtrai. They managed to capture the village of Berkstraatand and a neighbouring ridge. The battalion then encountered heavy machine gun fire but pushed forward crossing the river Keibeek finally reaching their first objective . The days fighting cost the battalion fifty casualties including seven dead ,one of these being Herbert Smart. He was buried in the vicinity of Courtrai but his body was later exhumed and re-interred in Harlebeke New British Cemetery North east of Courtrai Plot 7,Row “d” grave 12

"Whilst we remember, the sacrifice is not in vain"

SMITH WALTER, Suffolk Regiment contact wally@perfectandson.co.uk

Walter Smith writes,

"Walter Smith was born in Northamptonshire. 

At the time of WW1 I believe he lived in Fitzroy Terrace in

Northampton. He joined the army in June 1916 and was

sent to the Western Front , he became a Sergeant in the

Suffolk Regiment, he served in engagements at the Somme,

Ypres, and Cambrai,he was awarded the Military Medal.

In 1918 he was taken prisoner, and held captive until the

End of the War. In 1919 he returned to 14 Fitzroy Terrace.

He had been married in 1914 to Blanche Dora Kathleen

Pettit, also of Northampton,he worked in the Shoe Trade.

They had two sons Walter Henry Smith (my Father) and Leslie Smith,

the Family then moved to London. If anybody has any information

about my grandfather please contact me at :-

wally@perfectandson.co.uk

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