Name
Harry W Smith*1
1889
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/07/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
15272
Bedfordshire Regiment
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 2 C.
France
Headstone Inscription
He has no Headstone. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing on the Somme.
UK & Other Memorials
Broxbourne Town Memorial, St Augustine’s Church Memorial, Broxbourne
Pre War
Harry William SMITH was born in Tydd St Giles, Cambridgeshire, in 1889, son of William Smith an Agricultural Labourer and Ann Hart Smith (nee Osborne). One of eight children although two died in infancy.
Baptised on 22nd September 1889, in the Parish of Tydd St Giles, Cambs.
1891 Census records Harry aged 1, living with his parents, sisters Eliza (11), Harriet (3 days old) and brother William (1), in High Common, Tydd St Giles, Cambs.
1901 and 1911 Census record the family still living in High Common, Tydd St Giles, Cambs. 1911 Harry (21) is working as a Farm Labourer.
Wartime Service
Harry enlisted in Wisbech, Cambs, posted to the Bedfordshire Regiment and issued with the service number 15272. On completion of his training he was sent to France, arriving on the 26th July 1915.
Seeing action on the Western Front, he was Killed in Action on 1st July 1916, the fist day of the Battle of the Somme (Battle of the Somme 1st July to 18th November 1916). He has no known grave, he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing on the Somme, France. Pier and Face 2C.
Additional Information
His mother Ann Hart Smith received a dependents pension of 3/- a week from 22nd May 1917, increased to 5/- a week from 6th November 1918. His effects of £1-13s-06d, pay owing and his war gratuity of £8, went to his father William Smith.
*1 We believe this is the correct man because of the regiment details on the memorial, however there is a discrepancy with the rank recorded.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
