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Note: See: http://www.genealogics.org/getperson.php?personID=I00685679&tree=LEO
https://livesofthefirstworldwar.org/lifestory/4118483
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/813004/smith,-joseph/
https://www.ossett.net/WW1/Joseph_Smith.html
Joseph Edward Smith (1879-1916)
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1879/04/30 of Flockton, West Riding, Yorkshire
1881/04/03 Aged 2 (1?), of Town End, Flockton, Yorkshire - RG11/4570 f.57 p.13
NB: dual entry in the 1891 Census:
1891/04/05 Aged 11, visiting Moorhouse Fold, Flockton, West Yorkshire - (his sister's house) - RG12/3742 f.56 p.17
1891/04/05 Aged 11, of 44 Queen Street, Batley, West Yorkshire (his remarried mother and stepfather's house) - RG12/3719 f.132 p.28
1896/08/28 Private, 2nd battalion, West Yorkshire Light Infantry Regiment, aged 18. Regimental number = 4772
Height: 5ft 5ins Age: 18 yrs 4 months; Complexion: Sallow; Eyes: Grey; Hair: Brown;
1896/11/02 Posted
1899/09/09 Private, of Talavera Barracks, Aldershot
1900-1902 2nd Boer War in South Africa
1900/02/27 Possibly wounded at Pieter's Hill (Natal Field Force 2nd Battalion WYLI)
1900/07/07 Possibly wounded at Bethelem (South Africa Field Force, 2nd Battalion, WYLI)
1901/02/06 Possibly wounded at Lake Chrissie (South Africa Field Force, 2nd Battalion, WYLI)
1901/03/31 Aged (23?) of ? - RG13/?? f.?? p.?? - no entry - still at Boer War ?!
1901/12/27 Awarded 10 days Impt .... Neglect of Duty on Outpost
1901/12/31 Brabant's Horse was disbanded at Cape Town
1902/01/06 Duty from Prison
1902/03/20 Possibly wounded at Castrol's Nek (South Africa Field Force, 2nd Battalion, WYLI)
1902/04/06 Deserted
1902/04/07 Sent home
1903/09/01 Awarded 14 days imprisonment
1903/09/15 To duty from imprisonment
1904/10/09 Private, 2nd West Yorkshire Regiment (location unclear - in Yorkshire? - daughter's birth in Aldershot, Hampshire?)
1904/08/04 Rejoined and awaiting trial
1904/08/12 Tried by DCM - convicted of desertion and sentenced to be imprisoned for 6 months
1904/08/12 Remitted to 3 months
1904/09/23
1904/12/28 Discharged - services no longer required - Belfast
No. 103 rank missing - Attestation paper in WO126 - Brabant's Horse
(Brabant's Horse founded in Nov 1899, fought at Wepener)
See: http://www.angloboerwar.com/?option=com_content&view=article&id=303
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Brabant#Brabant.27s_Horse
1906/04/25 Coal Miner of Overton Shillington, Yorkshire
1907/??/?? Electoral Roll: Of Grange Lane, Overton, (Holmfirth district)
1907/06/13 Coal Harrier of Flockton, Yorkshire
1907/12/16 Imprisoned by Wakefield W. R. for one month at HMP Wakefield for "Neglect of family"
1908/01/15 Released from HMP Wakefield, after serving one month for "Neglect of family" - Miner, aged 28, of Flockton. 5ft 5.5ins.
1908/06/14 Coal Miner of Bulling Balk Lane, Horbury, Yorkshire
1911/04/02 Coal filler, aged 31, of Norwood Road, Dalton, Rotherham, West Yorkshire - RG14/28064 f.?? p.1603
1912/10/12 Coal Miner (Hewer) for Mill Bank Lees Colliery, Thornhill, Dewsbury of 58 Healds Road, Dewsbury, Yorkshire
1914/09/21 Coal Miner of Ossett, Yorkshire, addres: Queen Street, Batley - working at Featherstone colliery
1914/09/22 Enlisted at Sheffield as Private, 15602, in the Yorks and Lancs (probably 10th Battalion in the 63rd Brigade, 21st Division, XV Corps). He gave his age as 30 years 146 days, when he was in fact 35 years 145 days old, probably to overcome an age ceiling.
1915/05/19 Entry in Medals Rolls:
Victory medal: X O/2/104 B21 p.2538 British: Ch p. ditto 15 Star: O/2/1C p.82 1916/07/01 Battle of the Somme starts; 10th West Yorks lose 700 out of 800 men.
1916/09/10 Transferred as 43421 to 10th West Yorks in 50th Infantry Brigade, 17th Division, XV Corps.
1916/10/29 Moved to front line trenches, north of Lesboeufs, Somme, France.
The War Diary of the 10th West Yorkshire regiment for Dec 1916 is recorded in PRO WO95/2004:
1916/12/01 CAMPS-EN-AMENOIS: Battalion in billets at CAMPS-EN-AMENOIS
(reference map DIEPPE16 1:100000) Battalion training and musketry NB: CAMPS-EN-AMENOIS is due west of Amiens on the D901 road. MOLLIENS VIDAME is nearby 1916/12/02 CAMPS-EN-AMENOIS: Battalion training and musketry
1916/12/03 CAMPS-EN-AMENOIS: Sunday Divine Service
1916/12/04 CAMPS-EN-AMENOIS: Battalion training and musketry
1916/12/05 CAMPS-EN-AMENOIS: Battalion inspected at MOLLIENS VIDAME by Brigadier General YATMAN, D.S.O.
NB: YATMAN had only just taken over 1916/12/06 CAMPS-EN-AMENOIS: Baths at MOLLIENS VIDAME Battalion training
1916/12/07 CAMPS-EN-AMENOIS: Battalion training and musketry
1916/12/08 CAMPS-EN-AMENOIS: Musketry. Route march with tactical scheme, night operations
1916/12/09 CAMPS-EN-AMENOIS: Musketry. Route march with tactical scheme, night operations
1916/12/10 CAMPS-EN-AMENOIS: Sunday. Divine Service
1916/12/11 CAMPS-EN-AMENOIS: Musketry. route march with tactical scheme.
Lieut. Col. G.H. SOAMES left the Battalion and (Major?) P.R. SIMNER from the 9th Duke of Wellingtons West Riding Regiment assumed Command 1916/12/12 CAMPS-EN-AMENOIS: Route march with tactical scheme. Night operations
1916/12/13 CAMPS-EN-AMENOIS/LONGPRE-LES-CORPS-SAINTS: Battalion marched to temporary billets
at LONGPRE-LES-CORPS-SAINTS (Refce map ABBEVILLE 1:100000) distance about 11 miles preparatory to moving up into CORPS RESERVE XIV Corps (O.O. attached) NB: LONGPRE-LES-CORPS-SAINTS is on the D3 road between ABBEVILLE and AMIENS 1916/12/14 LONGPRE-LES-CORPS-SAINTS/VILLE: Battalion entrained at LONGPRE and proceeded by rail to EDGEHILL siding (Reference map ALBERT 1:40000 E250) and marched to billets in VILLE
NB: VILLE is probably VILLE-sur-ANCRE, just S.W. of ALBERT 1916/12/15 VILLE: Training under Company Commanders. In the afternoon the Medical Officer
1916/12/16 VILLE: Training of specialists and close order drill by the remainder
1916/12/17 VILLE: Sunday. Divine Service.
1916/12/18 VILLE: Training of Specialists. Remainder - Bayonet fighting and close order drill.
Capt W.A. BOWMAN R.A. M.C. reported for duty vice Lieut P.A. BENNET-CLARKE proceeding on leave. 1916/12/19 VILLE: Training of Specialists. Remainder - Bayonet fighting and drill.
1916/12/20 VILLE: Training of Specialists. Remainder - Bayonet fighting and drill.
1916/12/21 VILLE: Companies at the disposal of Company Commanders. Special attention paid to cleaning of billets prepatory to move.
1916/12/22 VILLE/GUILLEMONT: Battalion marched to new camp at GUILLEMONT (Reference map ALBERT 1:40000 T19C) Distance about 11 miles (O.O. attached)
NB: GUILLEMONT is just S.W. of LES BOEUFS 1916/12/23 GUILLEMONT/LES BOEUFS Trenches: Battalion moved into front line trenches at
LES BOEUFS relieving 12th Battalion Rifle Brigade. Disposition as follows. D. Coy. BENNETT trench B Coy. FALL and AUTUMN C. Coy. FROSTY and WINTER (in support) A. Coy. COW trench and strong points (in reserve) 1916/12/24 LES BOEUFS Trenches: Quiet day. Enemy became very nervous in the evening opening
a heavy barrage on LES BOEUFS and the support line at 8.45 p.m. The firing was very wild and little damage was done although OZONE support trench was hit in several places. All quiet at 9.20 p.m. 1916/12/25 LES BOEUFS Trenches: Our artillery bombarded the German lines sharply for quarter
of an hour at 08:30 A.M. and again at 11-30 A.M. The enemy replied with searching fire on the support line and sunken roads. Very little damage was done. Our Casualties - 2/Lieut W.J. HARTNOLL wounded by shell splinter in thigh but remained at duty. 1 O.R. was killed, 1 O.R. Died of Wounds 1 O.R. Wounded. The Battalion were relieved at night by the 7th East Yorkshire Regiment. Proceeded to Camp No. 22 CARNOY-MONTAUBAN road (Refce map ALBERT 1:40000 A8) Evacuations for trench feet during the tour of the trenches NIL NB: Joseph Edward SMITH was one of the two 'O.R.' = Other Ranks (= Not an Officer), who was killed or died of wounds. CARNOY-MONTAUBAN road is further S.W. of GUILLEMONT, MONTAUBAN = MONTAUBAN-de-PICARDIE. There was no family record of Joseph Edward SMITH dying from wounds received - therefore, he is likely to have been the entry:
"1 O.R. killed"
1916/12/25 "Killed in action" - West Yorkshire Regiment - 43421 L/Cpl 10 Joseph Smith aged 32 (37?) born England, died France
1916/12/26 CAMP No.22: General cleaning up and improvement of the Camp
1916/12/27 CAMP No.22: General cleaning up and improvement of the Camp
1916/12/28 CAMP No.22/GUILLEMONT: Battalion less details marched to GUILLEMONT Camp arriving there
at 3-30p.m. Details remained at No. 22 Camp under the Command of Major R.J.W. IND. D. Coy. moved forward and occupied the FLERS line trench to provide carrying parties to the front line. NB: FLERS is due west of LES BOEUFS and north of GUILLEMONT 1916/12/29 LES BOEUFS Trenches: Battalion relieved the 7th Border Regiment in the LES BOEUFS
trenches dispositions being as follows: C. Coy. BENNETT TRENCH A. Coy. FALL and AUTUMN B. Coy. (in support) WINTER and FROSTY D. Coy. moved up from the FLERS line to Batttalion reserve in COW trench and strong points. 1916/12/30 LES BOEUFS Trenches: Considerable shell fire all through the night of the 30/31st
2/LIEUTS N. NEWTON C.R. INGHAM and E.L. TODD joined the Battalion. 1916/12/31 LES BOEUFS Trenches: Battalion were relieved by the 7th East Yorkshire Regt. and
proceeded to Camp No. 22 CARNOY. Total Casualties during the two days in the trenches of R.S.M. TOSE and 2 O.R. Wounded. The Regimental history puts it thus:
10th Battalion 29th October - 31st December 1916
When, on the 29th October, the 10th West Yorkshires (17th Division) moved up
to the trenches N. of Lesboeufs, and relieved the 2nd Battalion of the
Regiment (8th Division), the conditions in that part of the line were
appalling. An officer of the 50th Infantry Brigade Headquarters described the
relief in the following vivid terms:-
"The leading battalions of the 50th Infantry Brigade, (which included the
10th West Yorkshires) moved from Mansell Copse straight to the front line. The
going was very bad, traffic congestion and control regulations separated the
Lewis-guns limbers from their companies, and from Ginchy onwards the way lay
across a filthy wilderness of shell holes and sloppy mud, which grew worse
nearer the front. Outgoing battalions (2nd West Yorkshires and other
battalions of the 23rd Infantry Brigade) were in a state of utter exhaustion,
having been engaged in costly local attacks, and there was the utmost
difficulty in effecting a relief with incoming troops, themselves in great
distress. This relief, the hardest ever done by the Brigade, was not carried
through till 6.30 a.m., and daylight revealed the full beastliness of the
surroundings. If the mud of the (Ypres) Salient had been bad, this was even
worse; trenches deemed impossible there, were here the normal places of
habitation. The mire in the front lines was hip deep, and could only be dealt
with by hand; neither spades or scoops were of any use. Men became imprisoned
and could not be released, in some cases for over twenty-four hours. Hot
drinks depended on a precarious and improvised supply of 'Tommy Cookers'. With
power of physical resistance lowered by exposure the fight against trench feet
became more difficult and many of the new drafts were not hardened. The
trenches themselves were a maze and the line intricate; men of different units
and even strange divisions, hopelessly lost, were adopted for the night until
they could be sent off by daylight."
Under these awful conditions, with brief respites of relief and rest, the 10th
West Yorkshires spent the remainder of the year. No attack was made by the
Battalion during this period, but casualities from shell fire, and ever-active
hostile snipers, were many. From 29th October to 11th November, the Battalion
suffered 170 casualities, including one officer killed, (Second-Lieut I.P.
Waterhouse, by a sniper on 8th November), and one missing. On the 11th
December, Lieut-Col G.H. Soames left the Battalion, handing over command to
Major P.R. Simner of the 9th Duke of Wellington's R. The 50th Brigade also had
a new Commander, Brigadier-General Yatman assuming command on 5th December. On
the 31st December, the Battalion was relieved in the line by the 7th East
Yorkshires, and marched back to Camp 22 on the Carnoy - Montauban Road.
============================================
There is no recorded grave for Joseph Edward Smith. However, his name is recorded
on Pier 2 Face D of the Thiepval Memorial (in the Somme) and at Sheffield Cathedral.
============================================
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission describes Lesboeufs thus:
Location:
Les Boeufs (sic) is a village 16 kilometres north-east of Albert. From Arras
take the N17 south. Then take the D19 to Les Boeufs. Take the right fork
by the Church through Le Transloy to Les Boeufs village. Then take the C5
towards Ginchy. The Cemetery is on the right hand side.
Historical Information:
Lesboeufs (sic) was attacked by the Guards Division on the 15th September 1916
and captured by them on the 25th. It was lost on 24th March 1918, after a
stubborn resistance by part of the 63rd Machine Gun Battalion, and recaptured
on the following 29th August by the 10th Bn. South Wales Borderers. The
fighting in 1916 is commemorated by the Grenadier Guards Memorial Cross about
180 metres West of the cemetery, and the Guards Division Memorial Cross,
further along the road to Ginchy. The village was later "adopted" with Morval
by the City of Canterbury. The cemetery consisted, at the time of the
Armistice, of 40 graves (now Plot I), mainly those of officers and men of the
2nd Grenadier Guards who fell on the 25th September 1916. It was very greatly
increased by the concentration of graves from the battlefields and small
cemteries round Lesboeufs. There are now over 3000 1914-1918 war casualties
commemorated on this site. Of these, over half are unidentified and special
memorials are erected to 76 soldiers from the United Kingdom and seven from
Australia, known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials
record the names of five soldiers from the United Kingdom buried in Ginchy
A.D.S. Cemetery, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire. The graves of
39 French soldiers have been removed to other cemeteries. The cemetery
covers an area of 8,797 square metres and is enclosed by a rubble wall.
In 1962, the isolated Grave at Lesboeufs of three officers of the 2nd Bn.
Coldstream Guards killed in action on the 26th Sepetember 1916 and buried
in one grave by the roadside, 76 metres North of the crossing of the roads
from Lesboeufs to Ginchy and from Flers to Combles was opened for
concentration of the remains to the Guards Cemetery, but, as no remains
were found, these three officers were commemorated by Special Memorials
"E" in this cemetery, inscribed as follows:
BURIED AT THE TIME AT LESBOEUFS BUT WHOSE GRAVE IS NOW LOST
"THEIR GLORY SHALL NOT BE BLOTTED OUT"
The more considerable burial grounds concentrated into this cemetery were
the following:
FLERS DRESSING STATION CEMETERY, GINCHY, between Delville
Wood and Flers, containing the graves of 33 soldiers from Australia and
eight from the United Kingdom, who fell in September 1916-March 1917.
FLERS ROAD CEMETERY, FLERS, on the Flers-Longueval road, containing the
graves of 17 soldiers from the United Kingdom, three from New Zealand
and one from Australia, who fell in October 1916.
GINCHY A.D.S. CEMETERY, on the North side of Ginchy village. This was a
Field Ambulance cemetery, used from November 1916 to March 1917, and
containing the graves of 77 soldiers from the United Kingdom and one from
Australia.
GINCHY R.F.A. CEMETERY between Ginchy and Flers, containing the graves of
16 Artillerymen from the United Kingdom and five from Australia who fell
in October 1916-February 1917.
GUARDS' BURIAL GROUND, GINCHY, on the East side of the village, containing
the graves of 21 officers and men of the Guards Division who fell on the
15th September 1916.
NEEDLE DUMP SOUTH CEMETERY, LESBOEUFS, about 45 metres South of Needle
Dump Cemetery, containing the graves of 14 soldiers from Australia and
nine from the United Kingdom who fell in October 1916-March 1917.
SWITCH TRENCH CEMETERY, FLERS, a little East of the Flers-Longueval road,
containing 110 (mainly Australian) graves of 1916-1917. On the site of
another part of Switch Trench, further West, the New Zealand Government
have erected one of their two Battlefield Memorials in France.
WINDMILL TRENCH CEMETERY, LESBOEUFS, on the road leading North from
Lesboeufs. It was used from September 1916 to March 1917, and it contained
the graves of 27 soldiers from the United Kingdom and 16 from Australia.
From: www.nationalarchives.co.uk
Image details
Description
Medal card of Smith, Joseph
Corps Regiment No Rank
York and Lancaster Regiment 15602 Private
West Yorkshire Regiment 43421 Private
Date 1914-1920
Catalogue reference WO 372/18links to the Catalogue
Dept Records created or inherited by the War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies
Series War Office: Service Medal and Award Rolls Index, First World War
Piece Shadbolt E - Spratt C
Image contains 1 medal card of many for this collection
Number of image files: 1
Image Reference / Format and Version / Part Number / Size (KB) / Number of Pages / Price (£)
160966 / 26905 PDF 1.2 1 312 1 3.50
The "Batley News" had this report of his death:
"Killed on Christmas Day - A Batley Man Who Fought in the South African War - Corporal Joseph Smith, killed in action on Christmas Day, at the age of 37, joined the West Yorkshires when a boy, and served through the South African War. In August 1914 he was living in Queen Street, Batley and working at Featherstone. He promptly enlisted in his old regiment and is wife went to live at 26, Little Town End, Ossett. 'Please accept deepest and heartfelt sympathy from myself and my Company' writes an officer to Mrs. Smith. 'He fell doing his duty, the noblest death any man can wish for. To you and your children in your loss, I offer my sincere sympathy, and pray that you may be given strength to bear this great trouble."
The "Ossett Observer", had this short obituary for Joseph Smith:
"Ossett Corporal Killed In Action - Official intimation has been received this week by his wife, who lives at 26, Town-end, Ossett, that Corporal Joseph Smith, of the West Yorkshire Regiment, has been killed in action in France on the 25th December. His captain writes to Mrs. Smith: 'Please accept deepest and heartfelt sympathy from myself and my company in the loss of your husband, who fell doing his duty, the noblest death any man could wish for. To you and your children in your loss I offer my deepest sympathy and pray that you may be given strength to bear this great trouble'. The deceased soldier was 37 years of age and formerly worked at Featherstone colliery."
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