Name
Herbert Thomas Smith
14 March 1893
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
13/11/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
5863
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CONNAUGHT CEMETERY, THIEPVAL
IX. H. 2.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
London Colney Village Memorial,
Shenley Village Memorial,
Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Herbert Smith was born on 14 March 1893 in Shenley, Hertfordshire, the son of George and Esther Smith and was baptised as Herbert Thomas Smith at London Colney, Herts on 4 June 1893. He was one of seven children, although his sister Bertha died at the age of three in 1885.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at Low Bell Lane, London Colney (next door to his paternal grandparents), where his father was working as a navvy. They remained at the same address in 1911, at which time Herbert was working as a farm labourer.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Hertford and joined the Hertfordshire Regiment, serving with the 1st Battalion.
Herbert was killed in action on 13 November 1916, aged 23, during the Battle of the Ancre, and is buried at Connaught Cemetery, Thiepval, Somme, France.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £1 18s 5d. She also received a pension of 6 shillings a week.
Brother of William Smith who also served with the 1st Battalion Hertfordshire Regiment, and died of wounds on 2 September 1916, aged 29. His brother Arthur served with the Royal Horse Artillery and Bertie was a private with the Royal West Kent Regiment. Both survived the war.
Acknowledgments
Taff Williams, Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, shenleyww1.wordpress.com
