LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWI
Private Frederick George Smith
9 Bn Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment
Taken, Not Given, Liam Sumption, L&DLHS
Pte
Frederick G Smith
9th Duke of
Wellington's Regt
France
Sept 1 1918
The regimental records of the Dukes confirmed that Frederick George Smith,
regimental number 32707, was killed in action in 'France and Flanders' on
1st September 1918. (1)
The Parish magazine issue of October 1918 also recorded his death. (2)
Though the end of the war was in sight, as the battalion War Diary (3)
indicates, the Germans were still fighting hard.
The 'Dukes' attacked towards the Bapaume-Peronne Road, 'zero hour' being
5.45 a.m.
They were stopped by machine gun fire after advancing 250 yards. The
Colonel was wounded and the second in command took over. One Company
exploiting a gap sustained heavy casualties from the machine guns and the
advance stopped.
The battalion had taken 30 prisoners and captured a field gun. One officer
had been killed and two wounded but no details are given in the Diary in
respect of the losses sustained by the other ranks.
Notes on sources
1. Soldiers Who Died in the Great War (Royal Norfolks) - Imperial War
Museum, Lambeth.
2. Parish magazine of St Mary and St Nicolas Leatherhead, edition of
October 1918.
3. File W095–2014 War Diary 9th Bn. The Duke of Wellington's Regiment -
Public Record Office, Richmond, Kew.
Further research
Private
SMITH, FREDERICK GEORGE
Service Number 32707
Died 01/09/1918
Aged 32
9th Bn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
Husband of Ethel Hilda Mann (formerly Smith), of 14, Council Houses,
Theatre Rd., Wells-on-Sea, Norfolk.
Commemorated at VIS-EN-ARTOIS
MEMORIAL
Location: Pas de Calais, France
Cemetery/memorial reference: Panel 6.
Frederick Smith enlisted at Leatherhead on 11 December
1915 into the Army Reserve. His occupation was shown as Grocers Manager.
He was mobilized on 30 April 1917 joining the Army Service Corps (Horse
Transport) with the rank of Driver and service number 33089.
On 6 December 1917 he joined the Duke of Wellington's
(West Riding Regiment) as a Private wih service number 32707.
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
Saturday 21 September 1918
WAR CASUALTIES
This week, Mrs. Smith, of Ardwick Villa, Byron-road. Leatherhead, has
received official notification that her husband, Pte. Fredk. George Smith,
of the Duke of Wellington's Regt., was killed action on Sept. 1st. The
deceased, who joined up twelve months ago last April, went out to France
just before Christmas.
Prior joining the Army, Pte.
Smith, who was 32 years of age, had been connected with the International
Tea Company for a number of years, and for the last two years was manager
of the company's branch at Leatherhead, where by his courtesy he was much
esteemed.
Since her husband joined up Mrs
Smith has been managing the local branch and much sympathy has been felt
for her in her bereavement.
Surrey Advertiser
Saturday 21 September 1918
LEATHERHEAD
News has been received this week that Pte FG Smith, Duke of
Wellington's Regt., has been killed in action, Deceased, who lived in
Byron-place, Leatherhead, was for two years manager of the International
Stores at Leatherhead, and joined the Army 17 months ago, going out to
France just before Christmas.
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
Saturday 28 December 1918
1918 ROLL OF HONOUR.
THE YEAR’S RECORD OF THE BRAVE FALLEN.
SEPTEMBER
SMITH, Pte. Frederick George, Duke of Wellington's Regt., Ardwick Villa,
Byron-road, Leatherhead.
His life
Frederick Smith was born in 1886 East Winch, Norfolk.
His father was William Smith, born about 1850, Gayton Norfolk. He was a
son of Richard Smith (born about 1801) and Elizabeth Smith (born about
1817).
In 1881 he was a widower, an Innkeeper and Cattle Dealer
resident at the Crown Inn in East Winch, Norfolk.
Frederick's mother was Matilda Ann Southgate. They were married on 5
October 1881 in the Parish Church of Great Snoring, Norfolk:
William Smith - Widower -
Farmer - resident East Winch : Father - Richard Smith, Dealer
Matilda Ann Southgate - Spinster - Miller - resident Great Snoring: Father
- William Southgate, Miller
His siblings were Annie Matilda, William Ernest.
He married Ethel Hilda Potter 16/10/1912 at at Heigham, Norwich,
Norfolk. She was born 26 November 1888, Walthamstow, Essex, baptised 23
January 1889 at St Mary The Virgin, Walthamstow, Essex.
She was a daughter of William George Potter (1851-1891)
and Ella Cornish (1865-1918) and spent much her childhood in Little
Walsingham, Norfolk.
Frederick lived at:
1891 Census: High Street, Great
Snoring, Norfolk
1901 Census: The Street, Great Snoring, Norfolk: with his grandmother
Matilda Adams, a Grocer & Draper
1911 Census: St Mary St, Bungay, Suffolk: boarding with Alice Matilda
Reeve's family (?née Southgate, his aunt)
1915 enlistment: Ardwick Villa, Byron Place, Leatherhead, Surrey
After the war
His wife remarried, her surname changing to Mann, and was living at 14
Council Houses, Theatre Road, Wells-on-Sea, Norfolk. Her death was
registered in October 1972 in the Fakenham District of Norfolk.
Frederick Smith is also remembered on these memorials
Leatherhead Town Memorial
Leatherhead RBL Roll of
Honour, Leatherhead Parish Church
Ladies War Shrine, Leatherhead
Parish Church
Surrey
in the Great War
the website editor would like to add
further information on this casualty
e.g. a photo of him, and of any recollections within his family
last updated 27 Nov 20
