The Queens Own Royal West Kent R

The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Private J C Smith

Private James Crasey SMITH, G/19959, 1st Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, killed in action, Flanders France, 18th September 1918, age 27.

Born Lavenham, Suffolk, son of Thomas & Ellen Smith, of 1,Canada Cottage, Nedging Tye, Bildeston, Suffolk.

1911 Census - Nedging Tye, Bildeston, Ipswich, Suffolk - Thomas Smith, head, age 56, married, stockman, worker, born Lavenham, Suffolk; Ellen Smith, wife, age 55, married 32 years, 7 children, 6 still alive, born Lavenham, Suffolk; James C Smith, son, age 19, single, shepherd, worker, born Lavenham, Suffolk; George E Smith, son, age 17, single, farm labourer, worker, born Lavenham, Suffolk; Richard C Smith, son, age 13, errand boy for farmers house, born Lavenham, Suffolk; Ivy Smith, grandaughter, age 5, born Bildeston, Suffolk.

Enlisted Bildeston, Suffolk, age 24 years & 3 months, height 5ft 7½ inches, weight 143½ lbs, 4 defective teeth. Resided 1, Canada Cottage, Nedging Tye, Bildeston, Suffolk. Formerly shepherd.

Home 10th December 1915 to 11th July 1916; BEF 12th July 1916 to 18th September 1918.

10th December 1915, enlisted; 14th December 1915, joined at Waterford; 17th December 1915, posted 7th Reserve Cavalry Regiment, Service No.4952; 12th July 1916, posted No.1. Service Battalion, 21st Lancers; 12th July 1916. Southampton, embarked; 13th July 1916, Rouen, disembarked; 17th September 1917, transferred to Royal West Kent Regiment; 26th September 1917, Etaples, 40 Infantry Base Depot, posted 10th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 14th November 1917, proceeded to Italy with Battalion; 2nd March 1918, returned to France with Battalion; 15th July 1918, Etaples, joined "J" Depot, surplus in ?????; 23rd July 1918, posted 11th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 25th July 1918, joined 1st Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment.

9th October 1919, Statement of Relatives - Widow, none; Children, none; Father, Thomas Smith, 1,Canada Cottage, Nedging Tye, Bildeston, Suffolk; Mother, Ellen Smith, 1,Canada Cottage, Nedging Tye, Bildeston, Suffolk; Brothers - George E Smith, age 24, 1,Canada Cottage, Nedging Tye, Bildeston, Suffolk; Richard C Smith, age 22, Ipswich Road, near? Bildeston; Sisters - Abagail R Smith, age 38, 6 High Street, Lavenham; Ruth Smith, age 35, Macauly Road, Caterham, Surrey; Ann C? Smith, age 33, Canada.

Commemorated at Vis-en-Artois Memorial, Panel 7, France.

NOTE: Soldiers Died in the Great War show first name as Crasey; CWGC show it as Creasey.

This page was last updated on 03-Mar-2022.