Name
Cyril Valentine Smethurst
1881
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/03/1917
36
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
7288
Honourable Artillery Company
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
H.A.C. CEMETERY, ECOUST-ST. MEIN
I. A. 19.
France
Headstone Inscription
HE DIED TRUE TO HIS FRIENDS AND BELOVED BY ALL WHO KNEW HIM
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Tring memorials, Memorial, Coulsdon & Purley, Woodcote, London, Gardens & Cenotaph, Coulsdon, London, Memorial, St Anrews Church, Coulsdon, London, Roll of Honour, Whitgift School, Croydon London
Pre War
Cyril Valentine Smethurst was born in in1881 to George Smethurst, civil engineer and Sophia Matilda (nee Bates).
On the 1881 Census the family of parents, Ernest C (born 1871), George H (born 1872), Annie S (born 1875) and Cyril V were living at 48, Upper Fant Road, Maidstone, Kent.
In the 1891 Census the family of parents, Ernest (agent, East India merchant), George H (student civil engineer), Annie, Cyril and Frederick (born 1890) were living at Horestead, Lewin Road, Streatham, London.
Cyril married Marguerite Alice Russell on 27 Jun 1907.
On the 1911 Census Cyril, clerk for foreign railway company, his wife Marguerite, son Gerald Russell (born 20 Jul 1909), mother in law Jesse Bridger Russell and a servant, at St Vincent, Brighton Road, Coulsdon, Surrey. There would be other children Doris May (born 19 Oct 1911) and Marion Cyrille (born 9 May 1915).
Wartime Service
Cyril attested on 24 Mar 1916 as a Territorial with the Honourable Artillery Company as Private 7288 being trained in 3/1st Battalion. He went to France leaving Southampton on 24 Dec 1916 arriving at Le Havre & 7 Infantry Base Depot on 25 Dec 1916. He was posted to 2/1 H A C and joined this Unit in the field on 26 Jan 1917.His unit as part of 22 Brigade 7th Division took part in Operations on the Ancre (11 Jan-13 Mar 1917) minor actions pressuring the Germans and Pursuit of the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line (14 Mar– 5 Apr 1917) , Cyril was killed in action at Ecoust on 31 Mar 1917 during this advance by the British forces.
It should be noted the Honourable Artillery Company, a Territorial Force formation provided 2 Infantry Battalions in addition to 4 Artillery Batteries.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £3 10s and arrears of £2 10s was paid to his widow.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
