ERNEST LOUIS SMYTH
Born: 1911, Ipswich.
Died: 21st May 1944; age 32; of Pulmonary Tuberculosis, at The Sanatorium, Foxhall, Suffolk.
Next of Kin – mother – Mrs. L.A. Smyth, of 17, Swinburne Road, Ipswich.
Residence: 17, Swinburne Road, Ipswich.
Occupation: a Wood Machinist.
Rank: Gunner; Service Number: 917210.
Regiment: Royal Artillery, 67 Medium Regiment.
Grave Reference:
3.4.
St. Mary & St. Botolph Churchyard,
Whitton-cum-Thurleston,
Suffolk.
Relatives Notified & Address: Son of Mr. & Mrs. O.J. Smyth, of Whitton, Suffolk.
CENSUS
1911 3, Handford Cut, Ipswich.
Ernest was under a month old and living with his parents & siblings.
Oscar John Smyth, 43, a Horticultural Worker – Wood Machinist, born Bentley, Suffolk.
Lily Amelia Smyth (nee Scopes), 32, born Needham Market, Suffolk.
Elsie Smyth, 6, born Ipswich.
John Smyth, 5, born Ipswich.
67 Medium Regiment.
Consisted of: HQ, 232 Battery (Ipswich), 231 Battery (Woodbridge & Felixstowe)
67th Medium Regiment was raised in 1939 as a duplicate of 58th (Suffolk) Medium Regiment R.A. (T.A.) (part of the doubling of the TA in 1939), with 231 and 232 Batteries.
Men were recruited in Ipswich, Felixstowe and Woodbridge in 1939. On the outbreak of war, the Regiment served in defence of south east England against enemy attack.
The Regiment was sent to North Africa in July 1941 as part of the Operation Crusader. It served under the 8th Army in the Western Desert from November 1941 until June 1942. The entire Regiment was captured in Tobruk on 21st June 1942.
Disembarked – Sevenoaks – Avonmouth – Clyde – Port Azores – Freetown – Durban – Aden – Sudan – Port Tewfick – Qassan – Mersa Matruh – Sidi Barrani – Bug-Bug – Halfaya – Saffafia – Point 207 – Fort Capuzzo – Bardia – Sidi Rezegh – Point 207 – Sollum – Mersa Matruh – Gambut – El Adem – Fort Acrome – Gazala – Knightsbridge – Tobruk – Captured 21/6/1942
On surrender, the men became prisoners of the Italy army and were transferred to Italian POW camps. The Italian armistice on 3rd Sept. 1943 enabled some to escape back to Allied Lines or to Switzerland, most were transported to POW camps in Germany, Austria and Poland. The majority of casualties in the Regiment resulted from the sinking of the Italian merchant ship SS Scillin in November 1942.
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