Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Christopher Smith was the eldest 5 siblings. His father Albert Smith was born in 1871 at Ilkeston, Derbyshire, where he married at Sheffield in 1892 to Elizabeth Booth born 1873 originally from Nottingham, Nottinghamshire. In his father’s search for work the family travelled extensively, Christopher was born in 1892 at Ilkeston, Alice in 1898 at Castletown, County Durham, she died aged 8 years old, Allott Furness 1900 at Hanley, Staffordshire, Clara Blanche 1904 Mainsforth, County Durham and one other deceased, gender unknown. In 1891 they were living at Shell Street, Hanley Staffordshire, where Albert was employed above ground as a banks-man at the colliery, by 1911 they had returned to the north east to Blackhall Colliery. Christopher (18) had joined his father and was an assistant banks-man (sinking kit), his younger siblings were scholars. They had also taken in a boarder, 32-year-old shifter, William Smith, who may or may not have been a relative.
When war with Germany was declared August 8th 1914, the Smith family were living at Cornsay Colliery, soon after Christopher enlisted at Stockton, assigned as Private 2325 Durham Light Infantry he was posted to the 1/5th (Territorial Force) Battalion and trained with the other new recruits at Ravensworth and Gateshead for active service overseas. The battalion departed for the Western Front landing at Boulogne, France, April 17th/18th 1915 and within days without any nursery training were fighting during the 2nd Battle of Ypres in Belgium, suffering heavy losses April 26th at St. Julien and again on the Frezenberg Ridge in May 1915, remaining in the trenches of the salient until August 1916 at Armentieres and Kemmel, part of the 150th Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division. Transferred south to the Somme in September 1916 they participated at the attacks at Prue Trench and High Wood. During this period Private Smith was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in battle on land. By March 21st 1917 he had risen to the rank of Lance Corporal, March 27th 1917, as was the case for all the T.F., he was allocated a new service number, 200210. During 1917 the battalion fought during the Battle of Arras, April 9th-May 16th 1917 before returning to Belgium where in October and November they participated during the final phases of the 3rd Battle of Ypres also remaining on the salient for the entire winter. March 21st 1918 after a bombardment of gas and explosives the Germans again attacked on the Somme. March 29th 1918, Lance Corporal Smith transferred to the 1/5th (City of London) Battalion (London Rifle Brigade), 169th (1/3rd London) Brigade, 56th London Division with the new service number 315381. The London Regiment remained on the Western Front participating during the Spring Offensive, March 21st-July 18th 1918, Battle of Albert August 21st-23rd 1918 and joined the Hundred Days Offensive as of the end of August until the declaration of the Armistice, November 11th 1918.
Having again risen through the ranks the now Lance Sergeant 315381 Christopher Smith died of wounds in battle, November 4th 1918, and was interred at Artres Communal Cemetery, Nord, France, near the north side. There are only 10 burials in this cemetery, 3 West Yorkshire Regiment including 1 officer, 1 York and Lancs., 1 Royal Artillery and that of Lance Sergeant Smith, grave 7, the remainder are foreign burials.
Lance Sergeant Smith during his service was mentioned on 3 occasions in despatches and was the recipient of a card of congratulations for good work on the field.
His mother Elizabeth received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the British War Medal, Victory Medal and Military Medal. She commissioned at a cost of 6 shillings 1 pence an additional inscription to be added to his military headstone, it reads, “He Died That We Might Live.”
The Register of Soldiers Effects gives his rank as Lance Sergeant, the CWGC as Rifleman, which I believe may be an error as it is the equivalent to Private.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Christopher Smith is remembered at Cornsay on on C116.01
