Private 11820 William Smith

Killed in Action on Saturday, 5th August 1916, age 27.
Commemorated on Pier and Face 7 B of Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.

8th Bn., South Staffordshire Regiment. 51st Brigade of 17th Division.

Husband of Mrs Elizabeth Smith, of 4 Court 4 House, Wiggley's Yard, Great Bridge, Tipton, Staffs.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Wolverhampton, Resident: Tipton.

First landed France & Flanders, 12th August 1915.
Medal entitlement: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Commemorated on the Tipton Library Memorial.
Commemorated here because he appears on a Tipton memorial.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/813320/

Genealogical Data

1901 Census
7 Court 1 House, Horseley Heath, Tipton, Staffs.
Thomas Smith (52, Puddler, born Ansley, Warwickshire), and his 2 sons: Edward (17, Brickyard Labourer, born Tipton) and William (12, born Tipton).

Marriage of William Smith and Elizabeth Coley registered June quarter 1909 in Dudley. The wedding was on 18th April 1909 at St. Martin’s Church, Lower Church Lane, Tipton. William Smith (19, Ironworker) lived in Horseley Heath; his father Thomas was also an Ironworker. Elizabeth Coley (20) lived in Ballfields, Horseley Heath; her father George had been a Coal Miner, but had died.

1911 Census
No trace can be found.

At the time of her wedding, Elizabeth already had a 4-month-old child, Maud Ann (born 24 December 1908). It is not known if William was the father, but given the closeness of the birth and wedding, it is likely. They had 2 more children: Thomas (born 24 March 1910) and Elizabeth (born 2 March 1914).

Personal Data

After William's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances represented a debit balance of £1/6/8d (1 pound, 6 shillings and 8 pence) - that is William owed the army money; there is no evidence of any attempt to recover this. His War Gratuity was £9/0/0d (9 pounds exactly), this was paid to his widow and sole legatee, Elizabeth, in October 1919. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that William had enlisted in approximately August 1914.

William's widow, Elizabeth, was awarded a Widow's Pension of £1/0/6d (1 pound and 6 pence) per week for herself and her 3 children, this was effective from 5th March 1917. Her address was given as 4 Court 4 House, Wiggley's Yard, Great Bridge, Tipton.

Action resulting in his death

The 8th Battalion South Staffs, in 17th (Northern) Division, did not attack on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme, 1st July but came into action on the next day. They were subsequently involved in fighting in Delville Wood, and the capture of Fricourt which is commemorated in Fricourt by the naming of "Rue du Major Raper" after the senior officer who led the attack. Following the success of capturing Fricourt, the advance continued slowly northwards towards Contalmaison, with numerous attacks on Quadrangle Support, just south of Contalmaison.

On the 10th July, the 8th South Staffs made the eigth attack on Quadrangle Support. This was at first successful, but they were compelled to withdraw after 3 costly hours due to the lack of progress on their flanks. However, during the evening, the Germans were seen to withdraw and Quadrangle Support was occupied by the 10th Sherwood Foresters, with the weakened South Staffs now in support.
The attack had been costly, with 56 South Staffs men being killed on the day.

The Division next came back into the line at beginning of August, the line having been forced northwards to Delville Wood. Here the 17th (Northern) Division continued the attacks started by the South Africans on 15th July, but the wood was not secured until captured by the 14th (Light) Division on 25th August. The attacks on Delville Wood in the first half of August cost the lives of 17 men from the 8th South Staffs, including Private William Smith on 5th August and Private Samuel Langston on 9th August, neither have a known grave and are commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.

Newspaper Cuttings

Tipton Herald 16th September 1916
KILLED AT THE FRONT.
In the Casualty List, the names of those "killed" include Private S.W. Langston, Private G.H. Powell and Private W. Smith; all of Tipton and belonging to the South Staffs Regiment. Also amongst those killed is Private E .Cox of the Highland Light Infantry.