Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
William Smith was born 1883 at Pelton, County Durham and was married to Sarah (details unknown).
William enlisted as Private 817 in the Territorial Force as part of the Northern Cyclist Battalion, formed in 1908 and originally assigned as the 8th (Cyclist ) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. Under the rules of the Territorial and Reserve Forces act of 1907 a Territorial member could not be compelled to serve outside the country however on the outbreak of war many volunteered, as did William at Chester-le-Street.
He was first assigned to the 1/4th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers as Private 37200 then transferred to the 21st (Tyneside Irish) Battalion, that under the orders of the 102nd Brigade, 34th Division, was sent to the camp in the grounds of Alnwick Castle, then Ripon and by the August of 1915 arrived at Salisbury Plain for final training before landing in France January 1916. Concentrated near La Crosse near St Omer they were moved to the Somme where they engaged the enemy July 1st 1916 at La Boiselle, not far from Albert, Bezentin Ridge, followed by the Battle of Pozieres July 23rd-September 3rd 1916 and finally Flers-Courcelette. Wounded in December 1916 during day to day trench battles, taken by Field Ambulance to No.11 General Hospital at Boulogne, Private 37200 William Smith Northumberland Fusiliers died December 12th 1916.
He is interred at Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France, grave VIII. C. 194. Unusually due to the sandy consistency of the land the gravestones in this cemetery are laid flat.
His widow Sarah, residing at Radcliffe Colliery, Acklington, Northumberland, received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal, in addition to the Territorial Force Medal, awarded to members of the British Territorial Force for long service and the Territorial Force Service who served overseas in WW1. It is the rarest of the 5 British Great War Medals.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
William Smith is remembered at Craghead on C120.01 and C120.04
