Herbert Jennings Smith

Soldiers records of L/Cpl Herbert J Smith - Attested Leicester 7th Sept 1914, British Expeditionary Force to France 29th July 1915, promoted in the field to L/Cpl 31st May 1916, wounded and gassed 14th July 1916, died 16th July 1916. Awarded British and Victory medal and 1915 Star. Lance-Corpl H J Smith Worksop Guardian 28 July 1916 The tragedy of the war is being brought home to most of us, and amongst those who are called upon to mourn the loss of a gallant son are Mr and Mrs Herbert Smith, Sunnyside, Worksop, and the Beehive Drapery Stores. Reports of a more or less definite character, reached Mr Smith on Saturday morning that his son, Lance-Corpl H J Smith of the 9th Leicesters, had been wounded in the great push, in which this Regiment bore a conspicuous part; but despite enquiries nothing definite was known until yesterday, when Mr Smith received official intimation that his son died from wounds in France on July 16th. He was the eldest son and a good, brave lad. He was 18 years of age. He was however, possessed with an undaunted spirit, and joined the Army in September 1914; when little more than sixteen. He could not, he said, hold back when soldiers were so badly needed. He was then in the employ of Messers Morley and Sons, the well known drapers of Leicester, and it was there that he enlisted. A smart lad, he was given his first stripe and he accompanied the draft to France. A field postcard was received from him on July 13th, stating that he was well, and three days later he had given his life for his country. As a boy he attended St John’s School and later Ashley House School, Worksop. We are very sure that Mr and Mrs Smith and family, have the sympathy of the townspeople in their great sorrow. They have lost a good son, and one whose memory they will cherish with pride. Lance-Corpl Herbert Jenkinson Smith Worksop Guardian 4 August 1916 Further information is now available respecting the death of Lance-Corpl Herbert Jenkinson Smith, the eldest son of Mr and Mrs Herbert Smith, Sunnyside and the Beehive Drapers Stores, Worksop, which was reported in our last issue. The particulars are given to Mr Smith from a comrade, Pte Douglas A Bacon, who was with him at Messrs Morley in Leicester, and enlisted with him. The two were together throughout the war, until the last separation. He says it pains him to have to tell some bad news. “Last Friday (July 14th), the Battalion made an attack, and sometime during the afternoon, Herbert got hit in the right thigh with a piece of shrapnel from a gas shell, but this only scratched him, as a knife in his pocket stopped the missile,” The writer goes on to say that when he saw him sometime after he had been hit, he seemed quite cheerful, and apart from a slight shaking, seemed fairly alright; but later he heard that he had been suffering from the gas and, “just now we have had official news that he had died from the gas. You can’t think how we miss him,” proceeds Pte Bacon, “he was always so cheerful, no matter under what conditions, and he was liked by everyone. You have my deepest sympathy.” A letter giving similar details, written by Pte Bacon to Mr Richard Morley, head of the firm at Leicester, who employed both lads previous to enlistment, has also been forwarded by Mr Morley to Mr Smith. In this, Private Bacon says, he saw his friend, after being hit, sitting on the edge of a captured German dugout. He seemed a little shaken but very cheerful, and said he was going to the Field Ambulance later on. No one thought he was seriously hurt, and in consequence it came as a great shock to hear that he was dead. It is understood that Lance-Corpl Smith was at the time of his death, acting as the Colonel’s “runner,” a very dangerous occupation.

CWG additional information:- Son of Herbert and Kate Ann Smith, of 8, Sunnyside, Worksop. Buried Daours Communal Cemetery Extension, France. Research by Colin Dannatt