Arthur Smith
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Arthur Smith was born in 1889 at Sutton in Ashfield, he was the son of the late William Joseph Smith a gas works labourer and the late Sarah Smith née Turner of43 Michael Street, Sutton in Ashfield. His father William Joseph Smith was born in Ilkeston in 1851 he died in 1915 he was 66 yrs old, his mother Sarah Turner was born in 1853 at Sutton in Ashfield, she died in 1912 she was 59 yrs of age, they were married on 2nd June 1875 at St Marys Church, Sutton in Ashfield, they had 9 children, sadly 1 died in infancy or early childhood. In the 1911 census the family are living at 43 Michael Street, Sutton in Asfield, William Joseph 62 yrs is a gas works labourer, he is living with his wife Sarah 58 yrs and three of their children, Arthur 22 yrs a colliery lavourer, Fred 16 yrs a colliery labourer and Annie 18 yrs of age.
‘The 2nd Foresters had served in India 1882-1898,’ writes John Cotterill, ‘returning home in 1902 via garrison duty in Aden and Malta. They led a peripatetic life in the UK serving on the Isle of Wight, in Aldershot, in various small garrisons in Ireland, in Plymouth and railway strike breaking in Derby in 1911 before arriving at Hillsborough Barracks in Sheffield in 1912. Here they mobilised 4/8/14 as part of 18 Brigade in 6 Division. As with most home based units they were under strength in peacetime so were composed of 40% reservists on mobilisation. Initially only four divisions were sent over the channel with 4th and 6th Divisions held back on coastal defence duties. As the threat of an early German invasion receded these two remaining divisions were deployed with 2nd Foresters, 930 men strong, arrived in St Nazaire on 11 Sept 1914. By this time the retreat from Mons was over and, indeed, on 12 Sept 1914 the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) began its advance from the River Marne to battle on the River Aisne.’2nd Bn Sherwood Foresters (71st Bde, 6th Division) mobilised 4/8/1914 and disembarked at St Nazaire on September 11th. Hough was killed during the battalion’s first Great War action in the Aisne valley which the BEF needed to cross before attempting to take the strategically commanding Chemin des Dames high ground. On September 20th, they were in reserve north of Troyon. As other British units fell back, according to John Cotterill, ‘a request for help reached the 2nd Foresters... at 1400.’ first by A and C Coys led by Captains Parkinson and Popham, reinforced by ‘B’ and ‘D’’ Coys with most of the Westphalians fleeing before the Foresters’ bayonets.’The unit war diary (TNA WO95/1616/3/1) records the dramatic action:‘the enemy were seen to have taken trenches on the right of the British line on the ridge at the head of the Troyon Valley – the most vital point in the line of defence. The battalion moved out to re-take the trenches. A German column was seen to be marching off prisoners...The advance was met by a very heavy machine gun fire from the front and left flank which caused many casualties, the ground being devoid of cover and very cramped... a general advance was made with great dash and in spite of heavy losses the trenches were re-taken. The battalion then prepared to hold the trenches... This was a most important action as the safety of the British right and the bridge over the R. Aisne at Bourg depended on the maintenance of the trenches. All ranks behaved splendidly.’ The war diary estimated 180 2nd Bn casualties in the action of 20th September 1914. 49 men from the unit, including 25 commemorated on this website, were killed that day (CWGC Debt of Honour Register). 38 of these dead have no known grave and are commemorated on the Le Ferte-sous-Jouarre memorial to the missing and the remaining 11 are divided between cemeteries at Chauny, Sissone and Vendresse.Military Research by David Nunn and John Cotterill
additional research and information Peter Gillings
