No.35426, Private, John SMITH
Aged 18
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John James Smith was born in Little Thurlow (Risbridge Q4-1898 4A:778), son of Frederick and Jane SMITH (née FITCH).
1901 census...Aged 2, he was at Church End, Little Thurlow with his father Frederick SMITH [32] farm labourer; his mother Jane [26] and brother William F [8 months]. All were born in Little Thurlow. 1911 census...Aged 12, he was at Bradley Road, Little Thurlow with his parents, brothers William and Thomas [6]; sisters Kate [8], Florence [6], Elsie [4], Eva [2] and Mary [4 months]. All born in Little Thurlow. All 8 siblings survived. Brother Frederick was born in 1913 and two others were born after John's death, Harold in 1916 and Stanley in 1919. The pension card has his mother at Alms House Hill, Little Thurlow. |
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He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds in March 1915.
The battalion was in trenches near Flers. The war diary says that on 20th/21st enemy shelling caused some casualties each day. All the dead in and around our trenches were buried. Work of consolidation was continued night and day on SWITCH and GAP trenches. On the evening of 22nd the 62nd Infantry Brigade was relieved by the 64th Brigade, the 12th (S) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers were relieved by the 9th K.O.Y.L.I., the relief was completed by 8:30 pm, the battalion retiring to S.22.central and bivouacked for the night. The 3 men killed on 22nd have no known grave, possibly their original graves were destroyed in later fighting
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
