Capt Arthur de Bells Adam (MC)
1885 - 1916
CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916
Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916
Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916
Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918
1885 - 1916
CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916
Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916
Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916
Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918
Pte 57462 James Smith
- Age: 23
- From: Tradeston, Lanark
- Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
- D.O.W Friday 12th April 1918
- Commemorated at: Glasgow Western Cem, Scotland
Panel Ref: O.1129
There are discrepancies in this soldier’s year of death, age, and battalion. The family gravestone in Glasgow Western Necropolis (photo) gives his battalion as the 20th, age as 23 and date of death as 12th April 1917; however, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission gives his age as 22, and military records and CWGC give date of death as 12th April 1918. The CWGC Graves Registration form states 20th Bn. K.L.R., the medal roll and Soldiers’ Effects show that he last served in the 17th.
Details from the gravestone show his parents as Alexander and Margaret Smith, and two brothers, Alexander who died in 1878, and William who died in 1903, aged 25.
The James Smith matching these criteria was born in about 1893, the son of Alexander Cowie Smith, born in 1855 in Premnay (near Insch) Aberdeenshire; his mother was also born in Aberdeenshire, in Slains, in about 1858. Her maiden name on one of the children’s baptism records is given as Sim. They married in 1876; a son Alexander died in infancy; four children are found on censuses: William, born in 1878, John Alexander born on 10th April 1881, Jane, born in 1882, and James.
The family had lived in Tradeston since at least 1881, when they are found at 27 Victoria Street. His father Alexander, 25, is a railway porter, his mother Margaret is 20, William is 2.
On the 1891 census they are living at 52 Bridge Street. Tradeston. His father is listed as Alexander C., 34, a railway porter, and his mother as Margaret S. is 33. William is 15, John Alexander 9, and Jane 8.
By 1901 they have moved to 65 Shields Road, Glasgow (near Pollokshields West Station). His father (age listed incorrectly as 25) is now a spirit salesman, his mother is 43, John, 19, is a wholesale grocer, Jane, 18, is a pinafore machinist, and James is 6, at school. His eldest brother William is not at home. He died in 1903, aged 25.
Unfortunately the 1911 census is not available.
James married Robina Loudon, born on 07th October 1892, in 1914 in Pollokshields, and their son Alexander was born on 28th January 1915.
His death was reported in The Scotsman on 27th May 1918:
He enlisted in Glasgow joining the Army Cyclist Corps as Private 15511. The amount of the War Gratuity suggests that he served for two and a half years, enlisting in about October 1915.
He was transferred to the 20th (Pals) Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 57462 before shipping to France, as the medal roll shows only service overseas with the K.L.R. He was subsequently posted to the 17th Battalion K.L.R., most probably when the 20th Battalion was disbanded in France in early February 1918.
It is not known when James was wounded, but he was evacuated to the U.K. and died of cardiac failure at Queen Mary’s Military Hospital at Whalley (now Calderstones), Lancashire. His death was registered in the June quarter of 1918 (Clitheroe district), age 23, although given that he was born in around 1893 this would be incorrect and he would be either 24 or 25.
His body was returned home to Glasgow, 180 miles north, and he was laid to rest in Glasgow Western Necropolis. The CWGC Grave Registration form records “date of death 12/4/18, with the anotaion 17?” indicating the record was unsure as to the date of his death, furthermore the end column shows the following “two other burials 12/4/17”. The CWGC record James as the husband of: Mrs. Robina Smith, of 543, Maryhill Rd., Glasgow.
There are 498 First World War burials in the Cemetery.
His death was reported in The Scotsman on 27th May 1918:
DIED OF WOUNDS
KING'S (LIVERPOOL REGIMENT) - Smith, 57462, W. J. (Glasgow)
His son Alexander was three years old when James died. His widow Robina received his Army effects and a War Gratuity of £12. She was awarded a pension of £1-0s-5d a week from October 1918, then living at 869 New City Road, Glasgow.
Robina remarried to James Carson in late 1918.
James Carson had joined the regular army in 1908. He served in France with the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders from February 1916, was later transferred to the Labour Corps, and was discharged in October 1919 with a Silver War Badge and a disability pension (malaria and pulmonary TB). He and Robina later lived at 543 Maryhill Road, Glasgow. Robina was widowed for the second time when James died in 1924.
An application for James Smith’s medals was made on 23rd September 1921.
His father Alexander died in 1921, aged 66, and his mother Margaret in 1926 aged 68.
James is commemorated on the Scottish National War Memorial.
His name is not included on the Glasgow Roll of Honour.
The family gravestone in Glasgow Western Necropolis has toppled, but the inscription is legible -
IN LOVING MEMORY OF HIS SONS:
WILLIAM
WHO DIED 20TH NOV. 1903
AGED 25 YEARS
AND ALEXANDER
WHO DIED 3RD OCT. 1878
AND IS INTERRED
IN JANEFIELD CEMETERY
PTE. JAMES SMITH
20TH K.L. REGT
DIED OF WOUNDS
AT WHALLEY HOSPITAL
12TH APRIL 1917
AGED 23 YEARS
THE ABOVE
ALEXANDER SMITH
DIED 4TH SEPT. 1921 AGED 66
HIS WIFE MARGARET SMITH
DIED 21ST NOV. 1926 AGED 68
Grateful thanks are extended to Margot O'Donnell who visited the Glasgow Western Necropolis Cemetery on our behalf and who took the photograph now shown on this site.
Grateful thanks are extended to Margot O'Donnell who visited the Glasgow Western Necropolis Cemetery on our behalf and who took the photograph now shown on this site.
We currently have no further information on James Smith, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.
Killed On This Day.
(108 Years this day)Tuesday 30th April 1918.
L/Cpl 29203 Valentine Alexander
26 years old
(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Pte 27948 Joseph Atherton
26 years old
(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Pte 51896 Richard Edward Banks
34 years old
(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Pte 46630 Watson Bell
38 years old
(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Lieut Roland Henry Brewerton
27 years old
(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Pte 51708 Charles Norman Dod
21 years old
(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
L/Cpl 94246 Frank Emison
24 years old
(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Pte 23056 John William Jones
27 years old
(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Pte 49572 John Henry Leadbeater (MM)
27 years old
(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Sgt 22462 James Lowe (MID)
25 years old
(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Pte 51712 Edgar Domenico Murray
21 years old
(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
Pte 269899 Harry Pitts
21 years old
A total of 14 Pals were killed on this day. View All