Belgian Corner Cemetery: Pauline Priano
Belgian Corner Cemetery: Pauline Priano
Hospital Ship Western Australia
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John Smith was the only son of Richard Hughes and Mary Elizabeth Smith, he had 2 elder sisters, Ellen and Sarah Elizabeth. Richard Hughes Smith was born at Northrop, Loughton, Flintshire Wales, in 1868 and married, April 16th 1892, at St, Eurgain and St. Peter, Northrop, Mary Elizabeth Jones born August 7th 1871 at Wrexham, Denbighshire. His wife gave birth to daughter Ellen in 1893 and Sarah Elizabeth in 1896, at Loughton, where Richard supported his family as a coal miner. Richard and several of his brothers, who had family of their own, moved to the north east in search of work, John Smith was born at Pittington, County Durham in 1898.
Mary Elizabeth Smith nee Jones died, August 28th 1900, at Lower Pittington, aged 29 years. In 1901 Richard and his children were living at 138, Front Row, Freehold Field, Leamside, West Rainton, where he worked at the colliery as a coal hewer below ground. Richard Hughes Smith died aged 33 years, August 23rd 1901, leaving his effects in the sum of 22 pounds 15 shillings to his eldest brother Joseph Smith.
Joseph and his wife Elizabeth who had much older children of their own still living with them took into their home at 5, Pit Row, Sherburn Hill, their nieces and nephew. He and his son Charles (16) supported them all employed at the colliery. In 1911 they were living in 4 rooms at 9, Prospect Terrace, Hamsterley Colliery, County Durham. Joseph is listed as a shifter below ground and the only bread-winner, supporting his wife Elizabeth (55), son Charles (26), daughter Sarah Ellen (23), niece Sarah Elizabeth (15) and nephew John (13), niece Ellen (18) is no longer living with them.
When war was declared in 1914 John was 16 years of age, well below the age of enlistment (18) and the legal age limit of 19 to go to the front. He enlisted April 13th 1915, for a period of 4 years, declaring that he was 17 years 6 month old. John was embodied joining the 2/8th (Reserve) Battalion Durham Light Infantry that same day, service number 3845 and appointed Bugler, September 24th 1915. Bugles, drums and other loud instruments were used during the noise of battle as a means of signalling scheduled and non-scheduled events.
Bugler John Smith was posted to the 1/8th Battalion D.L.I. July 7th 1916 and departed that same day from Folkestone disembarking at Boulogne July 8th. He arrived at the Infantry Depot July 22nd and joined his regiment in the field, attached to the 151st Brigade, 50th (Northumbrian) Division, on the 31st. They were engaging the enemy on the Ypres salient in Belgium at Armentieres and Kemmel until August 1916 when they were moved south to the Somme. During September 1916 their numbers were further depleted due to the high number of casualties at La Sars and at the Butte de Warlencourt, November 5th.
The Division left the Somme and moved to the Arras sector in spring 1917. Bugler Smith was admitted to the 2nd Stationary Hospital at Le Havre as a matter of urgency having been diagnosed with appendicitis, January 1st 1917. He underwent an operation and was repatriated to England aboard Hospital Ship Western Australia, February 17th 1917 in order to recuperate.
After undergoing retraining with the reserve, found to be fit, he was posted back to the front departing once again from Folkestone, June 4th 1917, disembarking at Boulogne he made his way to the 35th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples and posted to the 22nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry, July 7th 1917, with a change of service number, as Bugler 300964 John Smith.
The 22nd (Pioneer) Battalion Durham Light Infantry, was in action on the Ypres salient in Belgium, during late spring and all summer, digging new communication trenches and laying a new light railway in preparation for the forthcoming Third Battle of Ypres, which commenced July 31st-November 10th 1917, constantly subjected to shell-fire.
Bugler 300964 John Smith was killed in action July 13th 1917 within a week of his return to the front line and interred at Belgian Battery Corner Military Cemetery, on the outskirts of Ypres, Belgium, grave I. F. 14. He was 19 years of age and single.
His sisters Miss Ellen Smith and Miss Sarah Elizabeth Smith received all monies due to him from the Army in the sum of 1 pound 19 shillings 9 pence each, his personal items, disc, coin purse, cigarette case, pipe, cigarette holder, wallet and photos were sent to Ellen at 2, West View, Sherburn Hill, County Durham, January 28th 1918 and also his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal in 1922.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
John Smith is remembered at Sherburn Hill on S146.01 and S146.02
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 182
