Name
Albert Richard Smith
1889
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/03/1917
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Company Sergeant-Major
17232
Bedfordshire Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
MAROC BRITISH CEMETERY, GRENAY
Plot I, RowP, Grave 20.
France
Headstone Inscription
FAR BEHIND WE LEAVE THE PAST FORWARD ARE OUR GLANCES CAST
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, St James' Church Memorial, Watford Fields, St Matthew’s Church Memorial, Oxhey
Pre War
Son of Job and Clara (nee MARTINDALE) SMITH of Watford; husband of Annie Elizabeth (nee SEAR) SMITH of Oxhey, Herts.
His parents married 26 May 1878 at St James’, Bushey, Herts. Job died 15 September 1926 in Watford aged 67, and was buried 18 September in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; Clara died 1942 in Watford aged 83, and was buried 7 April, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
Albert was born 1889 in Watford, and baptised 6 November 1889 at St Mary’s, Watford. He married 27 January 1912 at St Matthew’s, Oxhey. He resided in Watford.
On the 1891 Census, aged 1 he lived in Watford, with his parents and six siblings. On the 1901 Census, aged 11 he still lived in Watford, with his parents and seven siblings. On the 1911 Census, a bricklayer’s labourer aged 21, he still lived in Watford, with his parents and four siblings.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Watford with the Bedfordshire Regiment and served as a Company Sergeant Major with the service number 17232. He arrived in France on 4th October 1915 and served on the Western Front.
He was killed in action on 21 March 1917, aged 28 in the front line near Loos.
He is remembered with honour at Maroc British Cemetery, Grenay in Northern France.
Albert is commemorated on the memorial at St Matthew’s Church, Oxhey.
he was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals, his qualifying date being 4 October 1915.
Additional Information
Unfortunately, Albert’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing. There is an article about and a Death announcement for Albert in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 7 April 1917; plus In Memoriams in the iss There is an article about and a Death announcement for Albert in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 7 April 1917; plus In Memoriams in the issues dated 23 March 1918 and 22 March 1919. His wife, Mrs, A. E. Smith, 1 Capell Road, Oxhey, Watford, Herts. ordered his headstone inscription: "FAR BEHIND WE LEAVE THE PAST FORWARD ARE OUR GLANCES CAST" Annie was awarded a widows pension of 23/9 a week. The value of his effects were £5-11s-4d, Pay Owing and £18-10s-0d War Gratuity which went to his widow Annie. Son of Job and Clara Smith, of Watford; husband of Annie Elizabeth Smith, of I, Capell Rd., Oxhey, Watford. His wife, Annie, later lived at 1 Capel Road, Oxhey, Herts. Additional information provided with kind permission of Bushey First World War Commemoration Project – Please visit www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk), Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild
