Name
Sidney George Smith
1890
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
29/04/1917
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
28018
Bedfordshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
Bay 5.
France
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
St Ippolyts Village Memorial, Roll of Honour, St Ippolyts Church, We are not aware of any Little Almshoe memorial
Pre War
Sidney was born in 1890, in St Ippolyts, Herts. the son of George and Julia Smith, however the only census he appears in with them is 1891, which records Sidney aged 6 months, living with his parents at the Public House, Village Road, St Ippolyts, Herts.
He had a younger brother Frank Smith born 1897, who does appear in the 1901 and 1911 census with their parents, however in 1901 Sidney was living in Little Almshoe, St Ippolyts, Hitchin, Herts., with his father’s parents and his grandparents, George (60) and Emma Smith (62) - Sidney was 11. In 1911 he was still living with them and working as a farm labourer.
Before enlistment he worked for Messrs. T W Franklin.
Although details are difficult to give Sidney must have developed a relationship with a Mrs W M Vincy of 5 Hillside Cottages, Walsworth as in his pension record cards she was recorded as his unmarried wife.
Wartime Service
Sidney enlisted in Hitchin in March 1916; he was posted to the 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, with the service number 28018. He trained in Dovercourt and went to France in July 1916
Sidney was Killed in Action on the 29th April 1917. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Arras Memorial to the Missing.
His death was given in a letter from 2nd Lieu. Dudley Wright, who wrote: "I very much regret to have to inform you of the death of your son, private Sidney George Smith of this battalion. He was killed by a shell on the evening off April 28 while attending the wounded during the second battle of arras. He had been attending the wounded all that day under fire. His coolness and courage was a fine example to the men. He was one of our best stretcher-bearers, and was loved and respected by all his comrades. He will be a great loss to our company. Your son died like a soldier, his only thought being for his comrades.”
Additional Information
CWGC Inscription Reads: “Son of George and Julia Smith of, Little Almshoe, Hitchin, Herts”.
His pension cards record his mother, as his joint next of kin, living at little Almshoe, nr Hitchin, the other being Mrs W M Vincy of 5 Hillside Cottages, Walsworth.
Sidney’s younger brother Frank Smith was Killed in Action on the 24th September 1916. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne, Jonty Wild.
