Image from 1916 Suffolk Chronicle and Mercury newspaper.
Images and additional information courtesy of Nicola
Born: 1887, Ipswich.
Died: 29th September 1916; age: 29; KiA.
Residence: 33, Handford Cut, Ipswich.
Employed: a Moulder for Messrs. Cocksedge – Foundry
Enlistment Location: Ipswich. Volunteered into Kitchener’s Army at the end of August 1914.
Date of Entry Therein: 25th July 1915 – France.
Rank: Sergeant; Service Number: 13361
Regiment: Suffolk Regiment, 8th Battalion.
Medals Awarded: Victory, British War & 1915 Star.
Memorial Reference:
Pier & Face 1C & 2A.
Somme,
France.
CENSUS
1891 Railway Cottages, Wherstead Road, Ipswich.
Charles was 3 years old and living with his widowed mother & sisters.
Ellen Smith, 42, a Laundress, born Shotisham, Suffolk.
Rose Lily Smith, 12, born Ipswich.
Ivy Georgina Smith, 9, born Ipswich.
1901 2, Railway Cottages, Wherstead Road, Ipswich.
Charles was 14 years old, an Errand Boy. He was living with his mother.
Ellen, 55, a Laundress.
1911 70, Handford Road, Ipswich.
Charles was 24 years old, a Sheeter – Great Eastern Railway. He was married and Head of the Household.
Ada, 24.
Rose, 3.
Frederick, 2.
In 1908, Ipswich, Charles married Ada Brooks, born 1887, Ipswich.
They had 5 children:
Rose Elsie Smith, born September 1908, Ipswich.
Frederick Charles Smith, born October 1909, Ipswich.
Ivy Lilian Smith, born December 1911, Ipswich.
Jessie May Smith, born June 1913, Ipswich.
Arthur Basilique Smith, born December 1915, Ipswich.
Ivy, Frederick, Rose, Ada
Jessie, Arthur.
Charles’s father was Henry Smith, born 1845, Wangford, Suffolk – died 1889, Ipswich. He was a Sawer & Joiner.
Soldeirs’ Effects to Ada Smith – widow.
Suffolk Regiment, 8th Battalion
Following detailed training for the up and coming attack, the 8th Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment moved up to the lines south of Thiepval on the 24th September 1916. The ground and way forward had been prepared for the attack on the 26th by the 11th Corps. The 8th Battalion were to be in the forefront of the attack with the 10th Battalion of the Essex Regiment on their left. The advance started at 12.35p.m. the with three objectives. As the men followed the heavy barrage ahead of them two of the three objectives were taken with large number of prisoners and equipment captured from “Joseph trench” and “Zollern trenches”. The third objectives were the “Medway trench” which was connected to the “Schwaben redoubt” A desperate fight then started, which up to this point there had been very few casualties. The leading men had pushed a farther 250 yards taking heavy machine gun fire from both flanks, in the direction of Medway and Bulgar trench. The forward men were forced to dig in, taking a number of casualties hanging on until 6.30p.m. The following day the consolidation of captured trenches continued. On the 28th at 1.00p.m. the attack was resumed on a section of the “Schwaben redoubt” the defenders were stubborn with the battalion taking heavy casualties. The next evening of the 29th the Battalion was relieved, taking over 200 casualties in the attack. The Battalion was thanked by the Commander in chief, in their part in the battle for Thiepval.
This was my great grandad.
My grandma was his daughter Rose Elsie.
My mother is Rosie’s daughter Maureen.