Guest Posted 26 November , 2019 Share Posted 26 November , 2019 I was wondering if anyone could help with some information about my Great Grandfather, Charles Smith 4481/635462. He enlisted in Arbroath on 25/09/2014 and served in the Royal Field Artillery - I think in the 2nd/2nd Division. Could anyone help with where he would have fought during the war. His wife died of Spanish Influenza whilst he was away in 1918. He survived the war, remarried and emigrated to Australia. I never knew him and my father (now deceased) never discussed his war service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldstreamer Posted 26 November , 2019 Share Posted 26 November , 2019 his papers exist and are on FMP - these have some more details Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 26 November , 2019 Admin Share Posted 26 November , 2019 Welcome to the Forum Laureen The Long Long Trail link above also has lots of useful information on how to research a soldier. Good luck with your research. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadbrewer Posted 26 November , 2019 Share Posted 26 November , 2019 (edited) Hi Laureen....He enlisted on 25/9/14. He married Elizabeth Cargill in 1911, they had a son Robert on 20/8/11. They lived at 6 Union St. E. Arbroath. Edit...an address of 5 South Street also showing. Link to Service papers on Findmypast https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbm%2fwo363-4%2f007323416%2f01003&parentid=gbm%2fwo363-4%2f7323416%2f40%2f987 Elizabeth died in early August 1918. He married again ( unknown to who or date as yet) Edit...in November 1924 had a son who died the following day.....and had a daughter on 11/11/1925 Another daughter in May 1929. Another daughter in May 1936 In 1921 Charles was fined £3 for illegal fishing. His brother George enlisted in the The Black Watch. . A Charles Smith of 19 Old Shore Head volunteers for the Royal Navy in Dec 1939. Edited 26 November , 2019 by sadbrewer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 26 November , 2019 Share Posted 26 November , 2019 Laureen Some facts are tying themselves into your man possibly being with 256 Brigade RFA, which was a Territorial Force unit named at home as 1/2 Highland Brigade RFA, which moved to France in early May 1915 as a part of the 51st Highland Division's artillery complement. Your man's medal card shows that he landed in France on 3 May 1915 which is within the span of the landing of the whole of 51 Division. A Gunner named SPINK,number 4494 and 635469, was killed on 4.10.1917 and he is shown as 256 Brigade. As you will see, your man's numbers were very close by (4481/635462), so my assessment is very much on this unit ! You will likely get confirmation from his papers, quoted above as being on FMP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 26 November , 2019 Share Posted 26 November , 2019 (edited) I also see that the 256 Brigade was made up of Territorial Force Batteries: Forfarshire Battery ; Fife Battery and City of Dundee Battery. These were later given a Battery letter, A B and C. I would think that Arbroath Territorials would be in the Forfarshire Battery (A later ?) Casualty Gunner SPINK served with A Battery. He was from Arbroath too. Your request for info on where Charles fought will be well-served by a unit War Diary. These are kept at the National Archives and are downloadable for a fee of £3.50,or if you have access to Ancestry UK you can read it freely. You will,of course,need to be sure which unit before you go into this. Hopefully there is someone else here who can positively identify his unit as I don't have access to FMP. I have looked at 256 Brigade War Diary and it shows leaving Southampton and arriving in Le Havre on 3 May 1915. Later: now see that Charles' second service number,635462,which replaced T4481,was issued as a result of 1917 re-numbering of the TF Artillery, and shows that it was allocated in the block 635001-640000 to 256 Brigade RFA ! Edited 26 November , 2019 by sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay dubaya Posted 26 November , 2019 Share Posted 26 November , 2019 Spot on sotonmate, he enlisted with the Forfar Bty 2nd HB RFA which later became 256th (1st Highland) Bde RFA and formed part of the artillery of the 51st (Highland) Division. Their war diary can be found in WO 95/2854/4 or as mentioned here on ancestry. J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 27 November , 2019 Share Posted 27 November , 2019 Thankyou everyone for all of the information. It has been a fantastic help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadbrewer Posted 27 November , 2019 Share Posted 27 November , 2019 5 hours ago, Laureen Lawlor-Smith said: Thankyou everyone for all of the information. It has been a fantastic help Laureen Just a note around my post #4....if you intend to do the genealogy, there are a few issues you should be aware of. The Cargill's and the Smith's seem to be at the same addresses...complicated by the fact that there are two strands of the Smith family there....two Charles and Elizabeth Smith's etc...what appears to be brother's Robert & Charles both being married to an Elizabeth....one with the maiden name of Smith...all very complicated. Charles Smith snr died in 1936. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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