Pte 57903 George Frederick Smith

George Frederick Smith was born in Bermondsey in the June quarter of 1882, the youngest son of Thomas Smith and his wife (Sophia) Elizabeth (née Thurgood).  His parents, both born in Gravesend, Kent, married in 1868 and had six children. George had older siblings Thomas, Elizabeth, Joseph, and Florence and a younger sister Lilian.

 

In 1891 the family is living at 9 Alma Road, Bermondsey.  His father, 47, is a master mariner, his mother is 44, Thomas, 21, and Joseph, 15, are commercial clerks; Elizabeth, 17, Florence 10, George 8, and Lillian 6 are at school.

 

They are still at 9 Alma Road in 1901.  His father 57, is a master mariner, his mother is 54, Thomas, 32 is a barman/publican’s assistant, Joseph, 26, is a warehouseman, Florence is 22, a draper’s assistant, George is 19, a furniture salesman, Lilian is 16, no occupation listed.

 

He married Annie Louisa Munn, 26, on 04th September 1909 in St. Anne’s, Bermondsey, giving his age as 27, his occupation as clerk, and address as 9 Alma Road.

 

Their son, Sydney Edwin, was born in Camberwell on 09th October 1910.

 

The 1911 census finds them at 232 Friern Road, E. Dulwich. George, 29, is a publisher’s clerk, Annie is 28, son Sydney is five and a half months old.

 

Two more children were born: Dorothy, in Camberwell on 16th April 1913 and Marjorie Louisa, in Greenwich on 27th June 1915.

 

George enlisted in London as Private 12373 Army Cyclist Corps, and at some point was transferred to the 19th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 57903. The amount of the War Gratuity suggests that he served for about a year before he died.

 

It is not known when George was wounded in action, but he died of his wounds on 21st May 1917 in Le Tréport. This town, on the coast, was the site of a number of general hospitals during the war and his death there suggests that George was in the evacuation chain, but died before he could be transported to a hospital in the U.K. He was 35 years of age.

He was buried in Mont Huon Military Cemetery, Le Tréport, where he now rests. His headstone bears the epitaph:

“IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY DEAR HUSBAND. ABIDE WITH ME”

During the First World War, Le Treport was an important hospital centre and by July 1916, the town contained three general hospitals (the 3rd, 16th and 2nd Canadian), No.3 Convalescent Depot and Lady Murray's B.R.C.S. Hospital. The 7th Canadian, 47th and 16th USA General Hospitals arrived later, but all of the hospitals had closed by March 1919. As the original military cemetery at Le Treport filled, it became necessary to use the new site at Mont Huon. There are now 2,128 Commonwealth burials of the First World War in the cemetery and seven from the Second World War. The cemetery also contains more than 200 German war graves. The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.

 

George’s children were 6, 4, and 1 year old when he died.

 

His widow Annie received George’s Army effects and a War Gratuity of £3.  The pension card shows that Annie, living at 176 Waller Road, New Cross, London S.E., was initially awarded a pension of £1-6s-3d for herself and three children from November 1917.  An entry on the pension card states, “Note that the widow of the soldier described above has been awarded an Alternative Pension of 28/9 a week with effect from 5/12/17.  This award is in lieu of the current minimum pension of 13/9 a week with allowances for 3 children of 12/6 a week. Dated 22/1/8.”  Another note reads, “Increased to 38/4 from 1/5/18” (£1-18s-4d).

 

Annie remarried in 1937 to Henry George Ryde, and in 1939 they were living at 167 Waller Road.  Annie was widowed in 1966 and died in 1967 aged 84.  His son Sydney lived to 86 and died in 1997, Dorothy died in 2002 and youngest daughter Marjorie in 2001, aged 85.

 

Sadly, George has not been identified on any memorial.