Name
Frank Smith
1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
24/09/1916
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
19531
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 2C
France
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin, St Ippolyts Village Memorial, Roll of Honour, St Ippolyts Church, We are not aware of any Little Almshoe memorial
Pre War
Frank was born in 1897 in St Ippolyts, Herts and his parents were George and Julia Smith.
Frank had an older brother Sidney George who was born around 1890. He was living with his parents in the 1891 census – before Frank was born, but in the following census was living with his father’s parents.
In 1901 the family, less Frank’s older brother, were living at the Jolly Tailor P.H. in St Ippolyts, Herts. Present were both parents: George (33) and Julia (40) and Frank (4). George working as the publican and horse driver on a farm.
By 1911 the family were living at little Almshoe, nr Hitchin. Present were both parents, George now working as a horsekeeper on farm. The census recorded they had been married for 21 years with 4 children, of whom 2 had died. Frank was present and his older brother still absent.
Officially recorded as born, living and enlisting in Hitchin.
Wartime Service
Frank enlisted in Hitchin, he was posted to the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, with the service number 19531.
Admitted to 14th Field Ambulance 31 July 1916 on gunshot wound to his shoulder he was transferred to a Casualty Clearing Station on the same day. He had probably only just recovered from his wound and returned to his regiment shortly before his death.
He was Killed in Action on the 24th September 1916; he has no known grave but is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing.
On the day of his death, the Battalion secured Oxford Copse and moved to Chimpanzee Trench with the objective to capture the Sunken Road, which they did. There were 114 casualties in the Battalion that day, Frank being one of them.
Frank has no known grave, but is remembered on Pier and Face 2C of the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing in France.
Additional Information
His personal inscription on the headstone reads: “Son of George and Julia Smith of Little Almshose, Hitchin, Herts”.
After his death £9 7s 11d pay owing was authorised to go to his mother on 1 March 1917. Later, a war gratuity of £7 was authorised to be paid to her on 19 September 1919.
After his death £9 7s 11d pay owing was authorised to go to his mother on 1 March 1917. Later, a war gratuity of £7 was authorised to be paid to her on 19 September 1919.
His pension cards record his mother, as his next of kin, living at little Almshoe, nr Hitchin.
Franks elder Brother Sidney George Smith was Killed in Action on the 29th April 1917, he has no known grave and is Remembered on the Arras Memorial to the missing.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Stuart Osborne, Jonty Wild
