Arthur Smith
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- Military History
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Arthur Smith was born in 1897 at Thorpe and was the only son of Reuben a waggoner on a farm and Mary Smith née Storer of South Muskham Newark Nottinghamshire. His father Reuben was born in 1871 at Thorpe and his mother Mary Lizzie Storer was born in 1871 at Welbeck, they were married in 1895 their marriage was recorded in the Newark Registration district, they had a further child Ethel born 1911 Lowdham. In the 1911 census the family are living at The Lodge, Lowdham and are shown as Reuben 40 yrs a waggoner on a farm, he is living with his wife Mary 40 yrs and their children Arthur 14 yrs a farm boy and Ethel 4 months of age.
Private Arthur Smith enlisted on 15th November 1915 at Newark, he gave his age as 18 yrs and 358 days, he stated he was a labourer and his next of kin was his father Rueben Smith of South Muskham. He was transferred to the reserves and mobilised for war on 30th March 1916, reporting to the depot at Derby the following day where he was posted to the South Staffordshire Regiment. He landed in France on 3rd August 1916 and was posted to the 21st Manchester Regiment on 2nd September 1916 and joined his battalion in the field on 4th September 1916. He was admitted to the 16th general hospital on 24th December 1916 with gout and was returned to England on 26th December 1916. On 12th February 1918 he was posted to the 3rd battalion Manchester Regiment and returned to France on 31st March 1918 and posted to the 1/8th battalion Manchester Regiment. He was killed in action on 6th November 1918 at Hargnies 18miles from Valenciennes and is buried at Hargnies Communal Cemetery, Nord, France.
An officer wrote to Smith's parents: 'It is with the deepest regret that I pen these few lines to condole with you and yours in your sad bereavement - the loss of your beloved son on the morning of 6 November 1918 at 10am. He was hit by a machine gun bullet and died shortly afterwards. The sacrifice of his pure and upright life, along with other heroic lads, has hastened the end of the war. You know the nobler the sacrifice the greater the rewards and I am certain that God in His mercy has already taken unto Himself your noble son.' Source: The Muskhams, Little Carlton and Bathley in the Great War, Published 2014 by the Bathley History Society (Courtesy of Trevor Frecknall)
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