Name
John Richard Gutteridge Smith
21/02/1890
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
30/12/1916
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
Northumberland Fusiliers
32nd Bn., attached 8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ETAPLES MILITARY CEMETERY
I. A. 79.
France
Headstone Inscription
ABIDE WITH ME
UK & Other Memorials
St Matthew’s Church Memorial, Oxhey, Oxhey War Memorial, Beechen Grove Baptist Chapel, Watford, Watford Borough Roll of Honour
Pre War
John Richard Gutteridge Smith was born in Watford on 21 February 1890. His father, Joseph Gutteridge Smith, was a retired paper manufacturer at Hampermill, Oxhey, living on his own means.
His parents married 19 April 1887 at St Mildred’s, Canterbury, Kent. Joseph died 28 October 1914 in Watford aged 92, and was buried 31 October in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; Isabel died 1929 in Bushey, Herts, aged 68, and was buried 11 June, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
His father, Joseph Gutteridge Smith, was married twice, firstly to Mary Elizabeth Hepburn, with whom he had a son and five daughters. They lived initially in Watford High Street and later at Hamper Mill House. Mary died in 1885 and in 1887 Joseph married Isabel Roots, with whom he had four more children, two sons and two daughters. His father died in 1914 at the age of 92.
John was the second son of this marriage and the 1891 census shows the family living at Wiggen Hall House, Oxhey, with three servants. Wiggen Hall House had 18 rooms and a walled garden leading down to the River Colne. It was demolished in the 1950s.
John was educated at Milton House School and by private tutors. The 1911 census records him as a student. He married Elsie Marjorie Ivy Freeman in 1916.
Wartime Service
John enlisted at Duke Road, off Euston Road, London, (the then HQ of the Artist Rifles) on 23rd August 1915, for four years in the Territorial Force, of the 28th County of London Battalion, London Regiment (Artist Rifles), with the service number 4427. Serving at home with them from 23rd August 1915 to 21st January 1916. When he was Gazetted Second Lieutenant to the Northumberland Fusiliers on 24th January 1916.
Home on leave on 7th September 1916, he married Elsie Marjorie Ferryman in Watford.
He arrived in France on 15th September 1916. He died three months later at No. 1. Red Cross Hospital, Le Touquet on 30th December 1916, aged 26, of wounds received in action at the Battle of the Somme.
He was entitled to the Victory and British War medals, which were applied for by his widow of Bushey, Herts.
Additional Information
His mother, Mrs. I. Smith, L'Abie, Bourne Road, Bushey, Herts. ordered his headstone inscription: "ABIDE WITH ME". There is an article about and a Death announcement for John in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 6 January 1917. He has an entry in the National Probate Calendar. His wife, Elsie remarried in August 1918, in Epsom, Surrey, to Henry Inglis Orr. In June 1924, she sailed from Liverpool to Montreal, Canada.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
