Name
Charles Smith
1883
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/04/1917
34
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
23303
Bedfordshire Regiment
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
Bay 5
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Preston memorials, St Martins Roll of Honour, Bedford
Pre War
Charles Morris Smith was born in Preston, Hertfordshire in 1883, the son of Amos and Louisa Jane Smith. His father died in 1887 and on 1891 Census, his mother was the Post Mistress and Grocer at the village shop in Preston.
By 1901 Charles and his mother had moved to 17 Salisbury Street, Bedford at which time his mother was working as a Sick Nurse and Charles was a Grocer's Warehouseman. They remained in Salisbury Street on the 1911 Census but had moved to No. 25 and Charles remained working as a Grocer Warehouseman. His mother's occupation was then given as domestic housekeeper and they had a young police constable as a boarder.
Wartime Service
Charles enlisted in Bedford, joining the 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment.
He was killed in action on 23 April 1917 during the battle of Arras – the second battle of the Scarpe. They attacked at 4.45 am, captured the village and reached the objective but were shelled very heavily during the day and counter-attacked in the afternoon.
He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France. He is one of 64 men from the 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment who died on the same day.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £6 and pay owing of £4 13s 7d, She also received a pension of 11 shillings a week.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
