Menin Gate Memorial
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Robert Henry Smiles, known affectionately as Harry, was the youngest of 2 sons born to Joseph Smiles of Middleton St. George, born 1857 and Jane Ann Robinson born 1863 at Barnard Castle, both in County Durham. Married in Teesdale, August 9th 1892, they settled at Church Yard, Barnard Castle, where their son Thomas was born in 1894 and Harry in 1898. Both Joseph and Jane were employed in order to maintain their sons, he as a market gardener, Jane as a winder at a thread factory. By 1911 they had moved to The Bank, Joseph now worked as a rock quarrying works labourer, Jane’s employment was unchanged, son Thomas (17) was a brass range maker at the iron foundry, Harry a scholar - attended the Barnard Castle National Boys School.
Harry was one of the first to enlist at Barnard Castle in 1914. Assigned as Private 2136 Durham Light Infantry to the 1/6th Battalion, a Territorial Force with H.Q. in Bishop Auckland with 8 companies based at Barnard Castle, Consett, Crook, Spennymoor, Blanchland and Bishop Auckland, over the next 9 months Private Smiles underwent training. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Harry Watson, a solicitor in Barnard Castle, they departed April 19th 1915 from Newcastle-upon-Tyne railway station for France, attached to the 151st Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division. Within days without any trench familiarisation they were fighting in the front line during the Second Battle of Ypres in Belgium where they suffered heavy casualties at Frezenberg from shelling and gas attacks. They remained on the Ypres salient until August 1916
Writing to his parents in 1915 Harry says “I received your parcel alright, but don’t send any more soap. I have got as much as I can carry”. Also “Would you please send me the Barney paper- I will repay you when I return, two-fold.”
Private 2136 Robert Henry Smiles was killed in action, March 19th 1916, on the Ypres salient. His sacrifice is recorded as one of the 54,613 names inscribed on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium, commemorating servicemen from Britain and the Commonwealth who died on the salient before August 16th 1917 and who have no known grave or whose bodies have never been recovered. He was 19 years of age and single.
His father Joseph received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Harry’s brother Thomas, also served and survived WW1 and died aged 81 in 1975, his mother Jane Ann Smiles nee Robinson in 1936 aged 73 years, both registered in County Durham, details of Joseph Smiles unknown.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Acknowledgements: Brenda McMahon
Robert Henry Smiles is remembered at Barnard Castle on B135.02, B135.23 and B135.25
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 53
