Name
Walter Smith
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
14/03/1916
32
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Sergeant
6507
Bedfordshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CERISY-GAILLY MILITARY CEMETERY
II. D. 13.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial,
St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin,
British Schools Museum Memorial, Hitchin,
Not on the Sandon Memorial
Pre War
He was the son of Mrs A. Smith of Old Park Road, Hitchin. He was born in Sandon, but lived and enlisted in Hitchin.
For eight years he had been a regular soldier and a further eight years as a reservist. He had served in the 2nd Battalion of the Bedfords in the South African (Boer) War and was later a Police Constable in Sheffield.
Wartime Service
In the Great War he was again posted to the 2nd Battalion of the Bedfords this time with the Regimental Number 6507. He was Mentioned in Despatches for conspicuous bravery at Hulloch in the Loos Sector from 25th September to 1st October 1915. He was killed in action in France by a shell during the night of the 14th March 1916 when it exploded near the building where he was sleeping and he was struck on the head.
At the time of his death, and until the 15th March 1916, the 2nd Battalion were alternately holding the line north of Maricourt and moving back to Maricourt and Suzanne or Etinghem.
Walter is buried in Plot 2, Row D, Grave 13 in Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery, Somme in France.
Additional Information
He had an older brother George who served in the Dublin Fusiliers in Salonika and a younger brother Percy who served in the Royal Garrison Artillery at Tring.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
