Ancre1917 Posted 5 October , 2022 Share Posted 5 October , 2022 CWGC has Pte RP Smith 8 Glos regiment being killed on 5 August 1917, but there's nothing on his MIC apparently. I'm trying to put a case together for a 2nd Lt in 8 North Staffs with the same surname and initials whose grave may have got mixed up with Pte. Smith's. The relevant GRRF shows the body in Somer Farm cemetery A 27 was originally listed as a 2nd Lt., but this was crossed out and the grave was allocated to the private. 2nd Lt. Ralph Pritchard Smith now has a special memorial showing that he was known to be buried in the cemetery. But where is he? Luc tells me that there's only one UBS whose date of death is shown as */10/1918 buried in Somer farm A10, so that can't belong to 2nd Lt Smith. Can anyone help give a date for Pte. Smith's death, either confirming it or offering an alternative? The 8 Glos war diary shows three men killed on 5 Aug, but there are four in the cemetery in adjacent graves showing that date. 2nd Lt. R.P. Smith was the brother of Lt. Harold Rymer Smith 2/6 North Staffs whose grave will be rededicated next year (see posts below) Thanks to Luc for giving me the idea to post this request here Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldstreamer Posted 5 October , 2022 Share Posted 5 October , 2022 Name:Robert Percy Smith Gender:Male Death Date:5 Aug 1917 Death Place:Belgium Rank:Private Regiment:Gloucestershire Regiment Regimental Number:28933 This from soldiers effects on ancestry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancre1917 Posted 5 October , 2022 Author Share Posted 5 October , 2022 Thanks for that.Unfortunately it makes it look like a wild goose chase, although that could have been picked up from CWGC register I suppose Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldstreamer Posted 5 October , 2022 Share Posted 5 October , 2022 Maybe reading the soldiers effects page will help , it’s too small to do on a phone screen ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancre1917 Posted 5 October , 2022 Author Share Posted 5 October , 2022 I don’t have access to Ancestry. Any chance you could do that when you get to your laptop/computer please, and let me know if anything shows up? Thanks Wouldn't it be amazing if both brothers’ graves could be identified? Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldstreamer Posted 5 October , 2022 Share Posted 5 October , 2022 If no one else does I will look yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancre1917 Posted 5 October , 2022 Author Share Posted 5 October , 2022 Great. Thanks Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 5 October , 2022 Share Posted 5 October , 2022 5 hours ago, Ancre1917 said: CWGC has Pte RP Smith 8 Glos regiment being killed on 5 August 1917 5 hours ago, Ancre1917 said: Can anyone help give a date for Pte. Smith's death, either confirming it or offering an alternative? Pension card at WFA/Fold3 has 5/8/17 [of course all such entries may have become a bit 'incestuous' ??] M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancre1917 Posted 6 October , 2022 Author Share Posted 6 October , 2022 Thanks M. That confirms what Coldstreamer wrote so it looks like that’s the date. Unless as you say, they’re all copying an original assumption. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancre1917 Posted 7 October , 2022 Author Share Posted 7 October , 2022 Could anyone look him up on the Gloucester volume of SDGW just to confirm his date of death as 5 Aug 1917? Thanks Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted 31 October , 2022 Share Posted 31 October , 2022 CWGC have his grave as B27 05/Aug/1917 confirmed by IWGC headstone record and SDGW page pension leger card has 5/8/17 KIA dependents pension card 5.8.17 effects 5.8.17 even find a grave has same date. cant check my SDGW cd as the new laptop does not have a cd drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancre1917 Posted 31 October , 2022 Author Share Posted 31 October , 2022 Thanks Chaz. I think I must now accept this is his date of death. Just such a coincidence that 2nd Lt Ralph Pritchard Smith was Kia in the same day and buried in the same cemetery, hence the confusion about where exactly his grave is. The special memorial to 2nd Lt. Smith confirms that he is somewhere in Somer Farm, but where exactly no one knows. I suspect he is very close to Pte. Robert Percy Smith, perhaps even alongside, and that his original cross was lost. Such a shame as the grave of his younger brother, Lt. Harold Smith, has just been identified. What are the odds on having two men with the same surname and initials being Kia on same day and being buried in the same cemetery and one of their graves being lost? Thanks again for checking for me Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 31 October , 2022 Admin Share Posted 31 October , 2022 My analogue version (ie book) SDGW says 5/8/17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 31 October , 2022 Share Posted 31 October , 2022 20 minutes ago, Ancre1917 said: I think I must now accept this is his date of death. Hard to do otherwise in the absence of further independent evidence - but as I mentioned before there was always a risk of cross-quoting amongst the examples of sources quoted above. 7 minutes ago, Michelle Young said: My analogue version (ie book) SDGW says 5/8/17 = pre-digital = positively ancient! [the book I mean] M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now