He was the son of Margaret Smith, of 94, Wansbeck Terrace, Ashington, and the late James Smith.
Morpeth Herald 21/09/1917 carries a brief obituary:
ROLL OF HONOUR
SMITH.- Killed in action in France, September 26th [sic], 1916, Private J.W. Smith, Grenadier Guards.- Lovingly remembered by Maggie, also by her father and mother, Mr and Mrs Gray.
Morpeth Herald 20/10/1916 carries the following:
SMITH.- Killed in action, Sept 25th, 1916, aged 27 years, Private John William Smith, Grenadier Guards, the dearly beloved son of James and Margaret Smth, of 41 Sixth Row, Ashington. Deeply mourned and sadly missed by his loving father, mother, brother and sister, and brother-in-law, Bomb. Johnson (now in France.
He is remembered at Ashington on A17.01, (A17.27), A17.06, A17.08, A17.24 and A17.43
