Victory Medal to 3/8711 Pte E J SMITH BEDF R. (formerly 3134)
Ernest John Smith was born in Standground, Peterborough circa 1871. A former labourer and old soldier, he first enlisted at Huntingdon on 17 June 1889, aged 18 years 7 months, in the Bedfordshire & Huntingdonshire Regiment, under the regimental number 3134. He gave his next of kin as his father, Henry, and younger brother, William, both of Steeple Gidding, Huntingdonshire. He served with the 1st battalion for just under six years, including in Malta and India, serving on both the Isazai Field Force and Chitral Relief Force, where the 1st Battalion was involved in the storming of the Malakand Pass. For this service he was entitled to the India General Service Medal with the clasp 'Relief of Chitral 95'. Having rejoined the Colours in early 1898 after a year on the Reserve, and returned to India, he further extended his service in 1901, subsequently earning the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal with gratuity. Finally he served on the regular establishment of the 3rd Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment as a storekeeper in the QM's stores, and was discharged upon the termination of his second term of engagement on 16 June 1910, having served twenty-one years, aged 39 years 7 months. He was described as 'painstaking and hard working' and was in possession of four good conduct badges.
After the outbreak of war he re-enlisted for one year on 21 October 1914, giving as his next of kin his brother, Arthur. He was posted to the 3rd battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment the same day and then on to the 9th battalion three days later. Eleven months to the day later he transferred to the 8th battalion, the Bedfordshires, another 'Service' battalion, raised in October 1914 as a part of Lord Kitchener's Third New Army ('K3'). They served entirely on the Western Front between August 1915 and February 1918, at which time the battalion was disbanded. He went overseas to join them on 24 September 1915 - shortly before the battalion was engaged at Loos - possibly being part of a draft of 115 O.R.s who arrived on 8 October when the battalion was in the trenches near Vlamertinghe. At some point he was attached to 6th Divisional Headquarters, the parent formation. Depending upon when this occured, his service would have put him in line to experience the first German use of Phosgene gas on 19 December 1915, a major bombardment and raid on the 8th battalion's lines on the Yser Canal Bank on 20 April 1916, and during the Somme offensive the Battles of Flers-Courcelette and Morval in September, and the Battle of Le Transloy in October, as well as the Battle of Hill 70 15-20 April 1917.
Pte Smith suffered a shell-shock wound in June 1917, appearing accordingly on War Office Daily List No.5332 of 8 August 1917. During this month the battalion had spent time in the trenches at Mazingarbe and then Hulluch, with active enemy artillery on some days and one trench raid, interspersed with working parties whilst at Rest. It was most probably subsequent to his recovery from this injury that he was attached to the Permanent Base Battalion.
On 8 October 1917, as was common with 'Permanent Base' men, Smith was transferred to the Labour Corps and posted to No.868 Area Employment (Garrison Guard) Company under the new number 405896 and immediately appointed Paid Lance Corporal. This was probably one of the original 47 Garrison Guard Companies set up from September 1917, possibly part of the group raised from Permanent Base (PB) Men. It was probably amongst the 40 allocated to guard duties along the Lines of Communications. Men in these companies were of B.i grade and subject to fortnightly medical assessments with a view to combing-out fit men for transfer to Base depots and onwards to the fighting units. Guard duties included prisons, dumps, railway communications, hospitals and providing escorts for PoW labour Companies.
Subsequently L/Cpl Smith was further transferred to the Royal Fusiliers (as G/104942), to become a Lance Corporal in the 43rd (Garrison) Battalion. The Battalion was formed from former Garrison Guard companies and its 49 companies performed general guard duties, including at the various Army headquarters.
L/Cpl Smith was demobilised to the Army Reserve Class 'Z' on 1 March 1919, having accrued a further 4 years 131 days' service. His intended address was 4 Otter Street, Strutts Park, Derby. Subsequently he gained employment as a tram driver for the city council, retiring some time prior to 1940. He died in Derby City Hospital on 25 October 1940.
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