No.19106, Private, William SMITH
Aged 20
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William SMITH was born in Rumburgh in 1880 (qtr 4 Blything a:747) son of Edward and Emma SMITH (née SHANKS).
1881 census...Aged 6 months, he was at The Common, Rumburgh, Suffolk wth his father Edward [30] farm labourer;his mother Emma [32] born Syleham; brothers Arthur [7] and George [4] and sisters Laura [5] and Elizabeth [2]. All except his mother were born in Rumburgh. 1891 census...Aged 10, he was at Cottage, Rumburgh with his parents; brothers Arthur and George (farm labourers), James Edward [8], Harry [6], Herbert [3] and Peter John [1]; sister Elizaeth [12] 1901 census...Aged 20, a labourer, he was at South Street, Ki ngs Lynn, boaring with Robert Howard and wife Harriet. At New Road, Rumburgh were his parents; brothers James and harry (farm labourers), Peter and Walter Chester[9]. He married Lowestoft born Edith Rosina STURLEY [2-9-1881] in St Peters, Paddington on 25th July 1906. (Paddington qtr 3 - 1a:132) 1911 census...Aged 30, a maltsters labourer, he was at 55 Gold Street with his wife; son Harry Edward Sturley [16-4-1907] born Amwell, Herts; daughters Violet Elizabeth Rose [2-2-1909] and Elsie Phoebe Valentine [14-2-1910] (both born n Sawbridgeworth Herts) They went on to have Gladys Emma [22-12-1911], Dorothy Rhoda [4-2-1913] and George William [10-7-14]. All were registered in Saffron Walden so probably all born in Sawsbrdgeworth. When and why they moved to Steeple Bmpstead is not known, but the address for Eidth and the children on the pension card is Smiths Green, Steeple Bumpstead. By 1939 Edith was in Harpenden. . |
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William enlisted in Colchester.
After the surrender of Kut in April, the remainder of the 2nd Battalon formed a composite battalion with the Dorsetshires until new arrivals enabled the re-formation of the 2nd Norfolks in July. Which probably why a war diary cannot be found. As the penson card records, William died of cholera. Disease was killing more men than enemy action |
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