Died: Saturday 14 November 1914, aged 30,
during the First Battle of Ypres, Belgium
- Lest We Forget -
Born: Arrington,
Cambridgeshire, son of James Smith and Caroline [née Patman].
Baptised: Arrington, 6 June 1883 alongside siblings Martha Alice and William
in a 'private ceremony' (held usually urgently at home when a child is significantly ill and thought to be dying). Martha Alice and William both died at 8 months and were buried together at Arrington on 9 February 1884. Therefore it might appear that Frederick may have been a surviving triplet.
Enlisted: 1905, Royston, Hertfordshire (ie Career Soldier, Regular Army), possibly after the death of his mother Caroline in April 1905 aged 63.
Died: Killed in Action on Saturday 14 November 1914. During the First Battle of Ypres, the Battalion was forced to retire by a German attack on front line trenches south of the Menin Road.
Grave: No known grave [commemorated on the Ypres
(Menin Gate) Memorial].
1891 Census (Smith Family):
In the four censuses of 1881, 1891, 1901 and 1911, the Smith family were living in a cottage at 'White Hall', Arrington (Modern postal address: 23 Ermine Way, Arrington).
James Smith
Head
M
54
Agricultural Labourer
Arrington, Cambridgeshire
Caroline Smith
Wife
M
48
Arrington, Cambridgeshire
Harriet Smith
Sister
S
57
Arrington, Cambridgeshire
Henry Smith
Son
S
16
Agricultural Labourer
Arrington, Cambridgeshire
Arthur Smith
Son
S
12
Agricultural Labourer
Arrington, Cambridgeshire
Mary Smith
Daughter
11
Scholar
Arrington, Cambridgeshire
Charles Smith
Son
9
Scholar
Arrington, Cambridgeshire
Frederick Smith
Son
7
Scholar
Arrington, Cambridgeshire
[1] This listing refers to the second (working northwards towards Arrington) in a group of four cottages on the western side of Ermine Street known as 'White Hall'.
[2] This property is Grade II listed.
[3] Heads: 1881 Census:
James Smith; 1901 Census: James Smith; 1911 Census: James Smith.
In the 1901 Census, Frederick (18) was still living at home with his parents in Arrington. His occupation was given as 'Farm Labourer'.
At the time of the 1911 Census, 8246 Private Frederick Smith was serving overseas in the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, possibly in Bermuda and Jamaica. His regiment was stationed there between 1910 and 1912.
Cambridgeshire County War Memorial in Ely Cathedral
Ypres (now Ieper) is a town in the Province of West Flanders. The Memorial is situated at the eastern side of the town on the road to Menin (Menen) and Courtrai (Kortrijk). Each night at 8.00 pm the traffic is stopped at the Menin Gate while members of the local Fire Brigade sound the Last Post in the roadway under the Memorial's arches.
The Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial
bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known.
The memorial was unveiled by Lord Plumer in July 1927.
