SMITH Francis Thomas

The 1901 census shows Francis Smith being second of five brothers living with their mother Sarah Jane Smith at the Brickyard, Harvington. By 1918, all five were involved in the war effort. The eldest was with the army in France, the third son had been discharged after the amputation of a leg, the fourth son was in Ireland and the fifth had been rejected for military service on medical grounds but was working in munitions. Francis had joined the army in 1915 and had spent most of his time in Salonika (Thessaloniki).

In 1918, he had been home on leave for ten days in August and was serving with the 7th Battalion, Duke of Edinburgh’s (Wiltshire) Regiment. It is indicative perhaps of the toll that the war was now taking that this Southern regiment was part of the 150th Brigade, 50th Division, a Division that was otherwise comprised mainly of regiments from the North-East of England. In October, the Division was part of the Fourth Army advancing towards Germany in what had now become a war of movement. His date of death is recorded on some websites as the 7th October 1918 but I suspect this is an administration error as the battalion was on that date resting in reserve. Contemporary reports say that he was killed on the 4th October 1918 and on that day the battalion attacked and captured a position known as “Prospect Hill” about 60 miles due east of Amiens which they held despite heavy counter-attacks.

Francis Smith was killed by shellfire and his name is recorded on the Vis-en-Artois memorial 6 miles south of Arras. He has no known grave. He was 24 years of age.

Francis Smith has no known grave, the photograph available shows his name on Vis-en-Artois Memorial.