SMITH Albert Thomas

There is no record of this casualty on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission database.

The birth of Albert Thomas Smith is registered in the March Quarter 1897 under the Upton Registration District. On the 1911 census Albert Thomas Smith aged 14 is resident at The Hawthorns, Malvern Wells with his father, Walter Smith, stepmother, siblings and step siblings. The death of Albert T. Smith aged 22 is registered in the March Quarter 1920 under the Worcester Registration District.

Malvern News, Saturday 1st December 1917:
Cpl Albert Thomas Smith, Worcestershire Regiment (the son of Mr Walter Smith of The Hawthorns) has been awarded the MM. His section commander having been killed he took charge of his section (on the left of his Coy). When the centre of the Company was held up he continued to advance with his men until on reaching a point about 200 yards in front he was the only survivor of his section. He continued to fire upon the enemy until his platoon sergeant and two men joined him. As soon as it was dusk he went under fire to get in touch with the Company on his left. He returned afterwards and held the post for 30 hours until told to withdraw.

Cpl Smith is an old boy of Malvern Wells National School and Hanley Castle Grammar School. He was well known in Malvern and Pershore having been a clerk for sometime in the Recruiting Office there. Before joining up he was a clerk for GWR, and before that a clerk in the Malvern UDC Gas Department on which body his father represented Wells Ward for some time.

Malvern News, Saturday 10th January 1920:
The death of Albert T Smith (Bert late Sgt of the 8th Worcesters) occurred on the 2nd January at Worcester of wounds received in action in November 1918. He was the son of the late Mr Walter Smith who died recently. The funeral took place at Welland on Tuesday. The bearers were all ex-soldiers; Messrs F Marsh, W Wood, C Spilsbury and J Baldwin.

A photograph of Corporal A.T. Smith of Malvern Wells can be found in Berrow’s Worcester Journal Supplement, Saturday 8th December 1917, available at Worcestershire Archives.