Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Thomas Smith was born at York, Yorkshire, exact date unknown. In 1914 he was living at Ushaw, County Durham where he was married during the 3rd quarter (Jul/Aug/Sep) 1914 to Mary Agnes McCormick born 1893 in the district of Lanchester, daughter of coal miner Michael McCormick and his wife Esther.
When war was declared with Germany in August 1914 Thomas enlisted at Durham and was posted to the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Depot, Northumberland, from where the new recruits were sent to Bullswater Camp in Surrey and divided into the 12th and 13th Battalions Durham Light infantry and 10th and 11th Battalions Northumberland Fusiliers. He was assigned to the newly formed 13th Battalion Durham Light Infantry part of Kitchener’s New Army attached to the 68th Brigade,23rd Division. By November they had been moved to Aldershot, as with the onset of winter the Bullswater Camp became unusable, then on to Willesborough in Kent in February 1915 and were issued with khaki uniforms having begun training wearing their own clothes. May 1915 the battalion transferred to Bramshott and by August were ready to depart for the front as part of the 68th Brigade, 23rd Division, landing in France on the 26th at Boulogne and concentrating near Tilques. The division moved to Merris-Vieux Berquin area for trench familiarisation under the more experienced 20th and 27th Divisions before taking over the front between Ferme Grande Flamengrie to the Armentieres-Wez Marquart road. They were spared the disastrous Battle of Loos they spent the winter of 1915 and spring 1916 in the trenches at Armentieres and Souchez.
At the end of January, they were withdrawn to the Bruay sector for a period of rest before returning to front line duty March 3rd 1916, taking over the sector between Boyau de L’Ersatz and the river Souchez from the French 17th Division. Many of the men with mining experience were temporarily transferred during March to a Tunnelling Company of the Royal Engineers. After a second rest period at Bruay mid-April to mid-May they again took over in the Souchez sector where the 23rd Division and its artillery were in support during the attack at Vimy Ridge.
June 11th 1916 the Division was moved to the Somme in preparation for, “The Big Push,” the opening battle due to commence June 29th was postponed by bad weather until July 1st. On the morning of July 1st the Battle of Albert began, the 13th Battalion Durham Light Infantry did not enter into the fighting until July 7th at La Boisselle, followed by the Battle of Bazentin Ridge, July 14th-17th, Pozieres, July 23rd-September 3rd 1916.
Having risen through the ranks the now Sergeant Thomas Smith was killed in action August 5th 1916 during the Battle of Pozieres. His sacrifice is recorded as one of over 72,000 names inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Thiepval, France, commemorating men from South Africa and Britain who died in the sector before March 20th 1918 and have no known grave. Age unknown.
His widow Mary Agnes received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. They did not have any children.
Mary Agnes re-married in 1921 in the district of Lanchester to Oswin Maynard Towns born 1892 at Cornsay, County Durham and with whom she had 5 children, Agnes M. born 1922, Christina M. 1924, Michael Oswin born 1925-died 1927, Francis G. 1927 and Oswin Jnr 1930, all registered in the district of Lanchester under her maiden surname McCormick.
Mary Agnes Towns-Smith nee McCormick died in 1950 aged 57 years, Oswin Maynard Towns aged 69 years in 1961, both registered at Durham, County Durham.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Thomas Smith is remembered at Esh Laude on E73.01
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance
