Name
Hugh Sale Smart
3 Feb 1885
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
16/05/1915
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Captain
G/4034
The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Searched but not found
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LE TOURET MEMORIAL
Panel 4 and 5.
France
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Tring memorials,
Memorial Arch, Clifton College, Bristol, Avon.
Pre War
Hugh Sale Smart was born ion 3 Feb 1885 in Madras, India to William Alexander Smart, Royal Engineers Officer, Indian Army and Fanny Amelia (nee Kearns).
On the 1901 Census Hugh and his mother Fanny were recorded at Hailey Lodge, Great Amwell, Herts with the Gardiner family of Wade, wife Laura and daughter Kathleen, presumably this was while Hugh was attending Clifton College where he learnt French and German.
Hugh graduated from Royal Military College in 1905 and gained a commission in the South Staffordshire Regiment on 16 Aug 1905 and went to India as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 53rd Sikhs Frontier Force, his rank was confirmed on 31 Oct 1907 but backdated to 16 Aug 1905. at some time he was attached to the Kyber Rifles.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of the Great War Hugh was serving in the Indian Army and had recently been promoted to Captain and had been granted leave and he returned to UK without permission and his non- appearance back at his posting resulted in his removal from records of the Indian Army, his will made in April 1915 at Laverne, France described the events following his arrival in the UK : “Although a Captain in the 53rd Sikhs Frontier Force I enlisted at Great Scotland Yard on 9th Jan 1915 in Queens West Surrey Regiment as Private Thomas Hardy 4043. in D Company 2nd Battalion.” He left his property and effects (in India) to his Brother Walter Alexander Smart.
2nd Battalion Queens had been in France since 6 Oct 1914 and on 20 Dec 1915 transferred to 91st Brigade 7th Division. Hugh (under his alias of Thomas Hardy) joined them in a draft of replacements in early 1915. The Battalion took part in the Battle of Festubert (15-25 May 1915.) He was killed in action on 16 May 1915. His remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Le Touret memorial, France.
His absence mentioned above was more complicated than it first seems, and the ‘official’ reasons were reported in the South Staffs Advertiser on 15th August 1915. He was indeed given leave and failed to return, his reason was arguably admirable and explained by his great desire to serve his country by fighting in France. When in England he enlisted into the 2nd Battalion, Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment as Private G/4034, Thomas Hardy. He went to France around Easter 1915 “He made himself efficient in record time, and was continually begging to be sent out.” And was in the trenches in the first week of May and fought at Festubert.
His comrades were a little suspicious that he was not what he purported to be because he assumed an air of command above his rank, and that earnt him the nickname 'The Colonel'.
At Festubert he was ordered to bomb the German trenches, “. . . . with some other men he penetrated to within a few yards of the enemy trench and began to throw bombs. When his supply ran out, he came back under fire for more . . . . . .”. It was said that for his actions around that time, if he had survived, he would have been granted a Distinguished Conduct Medal.
Later on the day of his death he was said to be assisting in bringing wounded comrades back, before returning to the firing line, but it seems he never returned. A comrade described his fate. Apparently he fell leading an assault on the German second line: “At one point the attacking party had to rush across an open space exposed to machine gun fire. “Hardy” dashed forward with the leading file; he turned slightly to call over his shoulder a word of encouragement to a youngster who had come out of the same draft, At that moment a bullet caught him, and he dropped without a word.”
It was reported that: “In view of the special circumstances of the case, the Secretary of State for India, with the concurrence of the Army Council, decided to submit to his Majesty that the removal from the service of Capt. Smart should be cancelled, and (that) his Majesty has been graciously pleased to approve this proposal.”
Additional Information
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
