9.2inch Howitzer 91st Battery RGA Arras
He was born in Simonside at 1 Railway Cottages, South Shields.
Originally had enlisted at Woolwich in London.
George Smith was a fitter with the 91st Heavy Battery Royal Garrison Artillery
91st Heavy Battery trained with 11th (Northern) Division, but left the Division to join 13th (Western) Division on the 7th of June 1915. They proceeded to the Mediterranean landing at Alexandria then moving to Mudros, by the 4th of July to prepare for a landing at Gallipoli. The infantry landed on Cape Helles between the 6th and 16th of July to relieve 29th Division. They returned to Mudros at the end of the month, and the entire Division landed at ANZAC Cove between the 3rd and 5th of August. They were in action in The Battle of Sari Bair, The Battle of Russell's Top and The Battle of Hill 60, at ANZAC. Soon afterwards they transferred from ANZAC to Suvla Bay. They were evacuated from Suvla on the 19th and 20th of December 1915, and after a weeks rest they moved to the Helles bridgehead. They were in action during The last Turkish attacks at Helles on the 7th of January 1916 and were evacuated from Helles on the 8th and 9th.
George had arrived in Egypt on the 7th July 1915, and was drowned at sea Thursday, 28th October 1915, age 27.
The only action on this day was a collision of the 'Hythe,' hired screw minesweeper, sunk in collision with the 'Sarnia' off the Dardanelles.
HYTHE, auxiliary screw minesweeper (J - paddle), ex-railway packet, 509/1905, London-reg, South Eastern & Chatham Railway Companies Managing Committee, hired 18/10/14, 1 or 2-12pdr, Pennant No.T.10, Lt-Cdr Arthur Bird RNR. Probably night of 28/29th - In collision with armed boarding steamer Sarnia, 1,498grt, sank near Cape Helles, Dardanelles; 9 ratings, 2 MN lost (He – 10 crew and 145 troops lost).
George Smith is remembered at South Shields on S86.022, S86.044
