Name
Robert Laurence Smith
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/12/1919
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Bombardier
146436
Royal Field Artillery
3rd "A" Reserve Bde. formerly "B" Bty. 155th Army Bde.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BELLS HILL BURIAL GROUND
Row D.3. Grave 73A.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
We are not aware of any memorial in Bells Hill
Pre War
Robert Laurence was born in Tottenham in 1898 to Alfred Arthur Smith, a piano finisher, and Helen Frances Augusta (nee Tyler).On the 1901 Census the Family of parents, Robert and sister, Dorothy were living at 35, Fairbourne Road, Tottenham.
On the 1911 Census the family with the addition three more sisters to Robert were living at 23 Jackson Road, East Barnet, Herts. His parents later lived at Elmhurst, Bulwer Road, New Barnet.
Wartime Service
Robert enlisted in Royal Field Artillery on 5 May 1916 at Woolwich as Gunner 146436 (His occupation as pianoforte finisher) and was posted to No 4 Depot on 13 May 1916 and to 4 Reserve Battery on 27 May 1916. He went to France on 23 Aug 1917 and reached B Battery 155 Brigade on 13 Sep 1917.
By Nov 1917 he was promoted to Bombardier. Robert was wounded on 17 Apr 1918 being treated at 100 Field Ambulance and No 5 Hospital (Rouen) and evacuated to UK on 25 April 1918. He was treated at Manchester (No 2 Western Hospital) for his shrapnel wound to Chest and Abdomen. For further recovery Robert was posted to Ripon. Robert was posted to 3A Reserve Brigade at Larkhill on 8 Nov 1918 for further training and was graded as a Signaller on 29 Nov 1918.
After a Medical Board on 19 Mar 1919 he was graded as L Reserve and demobilised with a pension of 15s per week. Robert died in Islington, London on 1 Dec 1919 and was interred in Bells Hill Burial Ground.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
