SMITH, George G

Service:
Army

Rank:
Private; Lance Corporal (see notes)

Unit:
1st Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own)

Place Enlisted:
Unknown

Service Number:
7809

Home Address:

Unknown

Family Details:

In an informal Will dated 19.8.1914 and validated by the War Department on 27.3.1916, George left his effects to a Mrs G Smith c/o Mr W Richardson, 80 Front Street, Tudhoe Colliery, Spennymoor.

Date of Birth:
Unknown

Place of Birth:
Unknown

Death:
19th Dec 1915

Place of Death
Ypres (see notes)

Cause of Death:
Unknown

Place of Burial:
Ypres Reservoir Cemetery

Obituary:
Unknown

Notes:

NB. Not certain that this Smith is from Teesdale. See notes on papers held by TBM. Needs more research.

George's Medal card on Ancestry and his CWGC record give his rank as Private but an official army document validating his informal Will shows his rank as Lance Corporal.

On 19.12.1915, the 1st Battalion was in support at the Switch Canal and Gaol at Ypres when a gas attack was launched by the enemy. Divisional Artillery confined the enemy to their trench and the gas attack fizzled out. Unfortunately, some of the Canal Dugouts took direct hits from enemy shells, including the one occupied by 'D' Company. Twelve men were killed and buried behind the Gaol. These were the first graves of Ypres Cemetery. The Bowes Museum holds a detailed description of this engagement.

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