Name
Frederick Sidney Smith
1893
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
30/10/1914
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
9845
20th Hussars
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star (with Clasp & Roses), British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 5.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, Not on the Boxmoor memorials
Pre War
Frederick Sidney Smith was born in 1893 probably in Barnes, Surrey, and was the adopted son of Charles and Alice Smith. He had two adoptive siblings, Frank and Evelyn May.
On the 1911 Census the family were living at 50 Cleveland Gardens, Barnes, Surrey and his father was employed as a railway signalman. Fred was then working in a grocer's shop and his sister Evelyn was working in a draper's shop,
Sometime after 1911 Fred's father became the landlord of The Whip and Collar public house at Two Waters, Boxmoor. The pub was situated close to the Grand Junction Canal and benefitted from the passing trade of the boatmen. However, his father moved soon afterwards to the Bull and Butcher at London Colney, near St Albans, Herts. as this is the address given on CWGC information.
Wartime Service
In early 1913 Fred enlisted in Watford, joining the 20th Hussars, a regiment attached to the Royal Horse Guards, which was part of the Household Cavalry and Cavalry of the Line. They were based in Colchester and were mobilised at the outbreak of war in August 1914, arriving in France on 7 October 1914.
Fred saw action at the First Battle of Ypres and during the Battle of Ghelvelt in late October. He was killed in action at Zandvoorde on 30 October, aged 20, when the first big German attack captured the village.
He has no known grave but his name is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £5 and pay owing of £2 13s 7d,
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
www.hemelheroes.com. www.dacorumhneritage.org.uk.
