Aubrey Smith - A Rifleman

[delta]

Have just finished reading Smith's book which has provided another interesting view on life in France and Flanders. Have googled but been able to find little about his post war life etc.

Does anyone know what happened next?

Stephen

[Martin Bennitt]

Came across this old unanswered post having just started this book and searched on the Forum and off it for anything more about Smith.

My copy is a first edition picked up in a second-hand bookshop by my daughter and partner who thought quite rightly that it would make a good birthday present. Interestingly, it bears the name K Stuart-Smith on

the flyleaf, and on the following page, in ink, the inscription 'Yours very sincerely, A.M. Bowes-Smith, 18.2.28.' Don't know if there is any connection at all.....

N.B. The foreword, by Arthur S. Bates, Lieut.-Colonel, Commanding L.R.B., ends:

"No mention is made of the fact that the author was awarded the Military Medal in August, 1917, and a bar to the Medal in November, 1918. Probably only the fact that he is now in China (my italics) and

that this foreword has to go to press next week, admits his readers to what he obviously mean to hide."

One wonders what Smith was doing in China and how long he stayed there.

cheers Martin B

[IPT]

He is mentioned playing the piano in the Shanghai Municipal Orchestra in 1923/4. His wife was a soprano;

http://webcache.goog...ww.google.co.uk

Died in 1935. This obituary gives a summary of his business activity in China;

http://newspapers.nl...51026.2.67.aspx

Hong Kong Cemetery;

In loving memory of/ AUBREY MAURICE BOWES-SMITH M.M./

who died on 29th September 1935/

aged 42 years/

His was the eager spirit of a boy/

ever alert to take the joy of life/

Within both hands to share it with his friends.

B.J. & Co. #9547

Edited 9 August , 2011 by IPT

[Tyrim]

Possibly a dumb question but is there any connection with Sir C. Aubrey Smith the old time actor?

[Martin Bennitt]

He is mentioned playing the piano in the Shanghai Municipal Orchestra in 1923/4. His wife was a soprano;

http://webcache.goog...ww.google.co.uk

Died in 1935. This obituary gives a summary of his business activity in China;

http://newspapers.nl...51026.2.67.aspx

Hong Kong Cemetery;

In loving memory of/ AUBREY MAURICE BOWES-SMITH M.M./

who died on 29th September 1935/

aged 42 years/

His was the eager spirit of a boy/

ever alert to take the joy of life/

Within both hands to share it with his friends.

B.J. & Co. #9547

Thanks very much for that. Guess it's the same man, as he mentions playing the piano in his book, and I have a signed and dedicated first edition, albeit not in mint condition. How exciting

Interestingly, he was living in Hong Kong at the same time as my father.

cheers Martin B

[centurion]

Possibly a dumb question but is there any connection with Sir C. Aubrey Smith the old time actor?

You mean the county and test cricketer who acted a bit? Don't think so.

[centurion]

Came across this old unanswered post having just started this book and searched on the Forum and off it for anything more about Smith.

My copy is a first edition picked up in a second-hand bookshop by my daughter and partner who thought quite rightly that it would make a good birthday present. Interestingly, it bears the name K Stuart-Smith on

the flyleaf, and on the following page, in ink, the inscription 'Yours very sincerely, A.M. Bowes-Smith, 18.2.28.' Don't know if there is any connection at all.....

There was a K Stuart-Smith who was a Naval pilot in the last year of the war - wonder if it's him?

[Martin Bennitt]

There was a K Stuart-Smith who was a Naval pilot in the last year of the war - wonder if it's him?

That would make it more interesting still. Thanks Centurion

cheers Martin B

[IPT]

There is an aviators certificate for Kenneth Stuart-Smith, RAF. Born Feb 1900 in Brighton.

Certificate dated 8th June 1918.

There's also a medal card for a different Kenneth Stuart Smith, Lt 1st R Fusiliers, then Cpt Tank Regiment. Date of Entry 29/7/1916.

[delta]

This is wonderful news - thanks Pals

Most impressed

On on

Stephen

[delta]

Born 1893 in Hong Kong;

Returned to London in May 1924 with wife and two children – later had a third.

Home Address 518 the Peak in Hong Kong

Died in the War Memorial Nursing Home, the Peak in Hong Kong on 29 September 1935; effects £14003

[Martin Bennitt]

not v clear what he actually did for a living. The book (or as far as I've read it) only mentions an office, presumably in the City

[delta]

The shipping records are not too clear either but it looks like he was a stock broker

[centurion]

The shipping records are not too clear either but it looks like he was a stock broker

He was a property developer being the Deputy Manager of David Sassoons a firm which originally started in the opium trade but by the 1920s was responsible for cinemas, luxury hotels and flats etc etc in both Shanghai and Hong Kong. Also held directorates on a number of boards including HSBC.

[delta]

That's kind - many thanks

[Guest Bigsie99]

Born 1893 in Hong Kong;

Returned to London in May 1924 with wife and two children – later had a third.

Home Address 518 the Peak in Hong Kong

Died in the War Memorial Nursing Home, the Peak in Hong Kong on 29 September 1935; effects £14003

That's kind - many thanks

Fascinating to find this information. Aubrey Bowes-Smith was my husband's grandfather.

[teabreak]

I am reading Four Year on the Western Front, and have a question which I wondered if anybody could answer:

- I can see that there's a lot of strong circumstantial evidence supporting the idea that the author (Aubrey M Smith MM*) is actually Aubrey Bowes-Smith - e.g the reference in the intro of FYWF to the author going to China, the fact that Aubrey M Smith and Aubrey M Bowes-Smith are both accomplished piano players, the MM on AB-S's memorial stone etc. However, is there anything else which proves that these two people are the same?

The reason I'm asking is that I have found a local newspaper report for Aubrey Bowes-Smith's wedding. It has a great photograph, showing him and his bride (I'll post it if anybody is interested - it's nice to put a face to an author). The report describes the wedding in some detail and even gives a list wedding presents received - clearly the couple were well known and popular in Tunbridge Wells. However, given that the wedding is barely months after Aubrey M Smith left the Army, its noticeable that the wedding report makes no reference to the bridegroom having an MM, or even to having been in the LRB.

There may be some good reasons for this, eg: modesty (FYFW makes no reference to the author's MM), although no reference to the LRB in the wedding report is more of a surprise. However, it would be nice to have something which provided a definite documentary link between (1) "Aubrey M Smith MM*" - ie the author of FYWF - and (2) "Aubrey Bowes-Smith" - the person in the wedding report who then goes to Hong Kong.. Is there eg a document showing the name change by adding Bowes?

I wondered if anybody had some ideas on this. I see from a previous post that A B-S was Bigsie 99's husband's grandfather, so if she sees this post I suspect that she will be able to clarify straight away. FYWF is a fascinating book, and one of the best detailed accounts around - it gives a real sense of what it was like to be a ranker in the LRB all the way from Aug 1914 to Christmas 1919. .

[chrrip]

Aubrey's entry in the nominal roll of the original 2nd Battalion LRB in my research notes. Cannot help on the Bowes connection although may be a reference in the LRB Record; agree it's a great book; really like his description of Ploegsteert Wood early 15

Smith Aubrey Maurice

145 300281 Rfn. 25. 1.15 - 15.1.19 MM and Bar; transport section; (b.1894 Lewisham; lived Orpington; occ. clerk, Indian merchants office; died 1933 War Memorial Nursing Home, The Peak, Hong Kong, China); MM; 16.8.17 Polygon Wood; Bar 6.11.18 Angreau citations read;

MM ‘During the operations on August 14^th-16^th, 1917, this rifleman showed gallantry and coolness when employed on Brigade Transport. When bringing up ammunition etc, or the attack, his limber sank in the mud. Under heavy shell-fire and without assistance he unloaded the front half and was then able to get out of the mud. He reloaded it and proceeded to the dump. He then returned for the rear half, which he dealt with in the same way, the whole time under shell-fire.’

Bar ‘During the operations near Seburg and Angreau on November 4^th-6^th, 1918, this rifleman was in charge of the trench mortar limber. He spent the whole time under the heaviest shell-fire taking up his limber to the foremost positions. It is due to this rifleman’s determination and courage that it was possible to silence hostile machine-guns by TM fire on November 5^th and 6^th. He was quite fearless, and carried out his duties with great courage under trying circumstances.’

Photo : Aubrey, bottom left, with other members of the transport, c. April 1915; top R W I Chilcott; H M Harbord and P D Charles MM; bottom right A H Raynor (© Crown Copyright. IWM. HU 65457)

LRB Record Feb 1936; Obituary Aubrey M Smith;

‘Aubrey Smith was born in London in 1893 and at the outbreak of war he joined the LRB and proceeded to France in January 1915. After a time he joined the Transport section of which he became a very keen and popular member, gaining the MM and bar. He was made a Freeman of the City of London in 1919. At the end of the war he made his home in Hong Kong where he was till 1924 with Messrs. D Sassoon & Co., after which he became an exchange and bullion broker. Although so far away Aubrey Smith did not forget the LRB and he is, we believe, the only man to give a broadcast lecture on the Regiment in a series of lectures on ‘Famous British Regiments’. He was a very good amateur pianist and gave many public performances and broadcasts, and in 1929 he founded the Hong Kong Musical Society. It is perhaps, however, by his war book, Four Years on the Western Front, that he is best known to present members of the Regiment, and we are sure that all who knew him will regret his death at such an early age.’

[teabreak]

Thanks erniecrisp

The passage from the LRB Record which you have quoted answers the question definitively - it is 100% clear from this that Aubrey M Smith MM* LRB is one and the same man as Aubrey-Bowes Smith of Tunbridge Wells and Hong Kong. I had assumed that this was the case, but felt that this conclusion was based on inference/circumstantial evidence rather than a clear documentary link. The LRB records plugs this gap.

Thanks!

[Guest Bigsie99]

I am reading Four Year on the Western Front, and have a question which I wondered if anybody could answer:

- I can see that there's a lot of strong circumstantial evidence supporting the idea that the author (Aubrey M Smith MM*) is actually Aubrey Bowes-Smith - e.g the reference in the intro of FYWF to the author going to China, the fact that Aubrey M Smith and Aubrey M Bowes-Smith are both accomplished piano players, the MM on AB-S's memorial stone etc. However, is there anything else which proves that these two people are the same?

The reason I'm asking is that I have found a local newspaper report for Aubrey Bowes-Smith's wedding. It has a great photograph, showing him and his bride (I'll post it if anybody is interested - it's nice to put a face to an author). The report describes the wedding in some detail and even gives a list wedding presents received - clearly the couple were well known and popular in Tunbridge Wells. However, given that the wedding is barely months after Aubrey M Smith left the Army, its noticeable that the wedding report makes no reference to the bridegroom having an MM, or even to having been in the LRB.

There may be some good reasons for this, eg: modesty (FYFW makes no reference to the author's MM), although no reference to the LRB in the wedding report is more of a surprise. However, it would be nice to have something which provided a definite documentary link between (1) "Aubrey M Smith MM*" - ie the author of FYWF - and (2) "Aubrey Bowes-Smith" - the person in the wedding report who then goes to Hong Kong.. Is there eg a document showing the name change by adding Bowes?

I wondered if anybody had some ideas on this. I see from a previous post that A B-S was Bigsie 99's husband's grandfather, so if she sees this post I suspect that she will be able to clarify straight away. FYWF is a fascinating book, and one of the best detailed accounts around - it gives a real sense of what it was like to be a ranker in the LRB all the way from Aug 1914 to Christmas 1919. .

I am reading Four Year on the Western Front, and have a question which I wondered if anybody could answer:

- I can see that there's a lot of strong circumstantial evidence supporting the idea that the author (Aubrey M Smith MM*) is actually Aubrey Bowes-Smith - e.g the reference in the intro of FYWF to the author going to China, the fact that Aubrey M Smith and Aubrey M Bowes-Smith are both accomplished piano players, the MM on AB-S's memorial stone etc. However, is there anything else which proves that these two people are the same?

The reason I'm asking is that I have found a local newspaper report for Aubrey Bowes-Smith's wedding. It has a great photograph, showing him and his bride (I'll post it if anybody is interested - it's nice to put a face to an author). The report describes the wedding in some detail and even gives a list wedding presents received - clearly the couple were well known and popular in Tunbridge Wells. However, given that the wedding is barely months after Aubrey M Smith left the Army, its noticeable that the wedding report makes no reference to the bridegroom having an MM, or even to having been in the LRB.

There may be some good reasons for this, eg: modesty (FYFW makes no reference to the author's MM), although no reference to the LRB in the wedding report is more of a surprise. However, it would be nice to have something which provided a definite documentary link between (1) "Aubrey M Smith MM*" - ie the author of FYWF - and (2) "Aubrey Bowes-Smith" - the person in the wedding report who then goes to Hong Kong.. Is there eg a document showing the name change by adding Bowes?

I wondered if anybody had some ideas on this. I see from a previous post that A B-S was Bigsie 99's husband's grandfather, so if she sees this post I suspect that she will be able to clarify straight away. FYWF is a fascinating book, and one of the best detailed accounts around - it gives a real sense of what it was like to be a ranker in the LRB all the way from Aug 1914 to Christmas 1919. .

That is fascinating. It would be great to see the newspaper report on the wedding, I wonder if it is the same photo that we have? As for name change to Bowes-Smith, I think I have seen a newspaper article referring to his change of name by deed poll but cannot now locate it. We believe the name change came once he had gone to Hong Kong. We do not know where the "Bowes" comes from. His wife's maiden name was Strange. She lived in Shortlands near Bromley until her death in the late 1970's. Aubrey died after suffering a brain haemorrhage.

We have the original draft of FYWF - containing original photos and added hand written transcript. We can confirm that we have documentation showing that he did receive the MM 14th - 16th August 1917 and Bar on 4th-6th Nov 1918. It is a source of great pride and admiration for all those who served.

[delta]

Biggsie - welcome to the Forum.

Thank you for confriming the authoriship. Do you have a photo of Aubrey which you could load to the Forum? We would love to see the author!

[chrrip]

Biggsie

I believe his medals are in a private collection not connected to the family; do you know the circumstances under which they were sold? I would love to see some pics of Aubrey; Mitchinson's Gentlemen & Officers contains at least one; I have a couple obtained from the IWM which I can send you.

NB Citations for MMs are very rare as the majority of the records were destroyed in the Blitz

Chris

[teabreak]

Is it possible to post images on this forum? I have a .jpg of their wedding photograph, scanned in from the newspaper report of their wedding, but the only image posting option I can find is it to link to a url - can you post jpg's?

The newspaper report of their wedding (September 1919) is a gem in its own right, because it contains details which are very much of the period. It lists complete details of all wedding presents, e.g:

The bride gave the bridegroom a cigarette case (!)

The bridegroom gave the bride a set of furs

The bridegroom's brother gave the couple a "pickle frame" (?)

Mr and Mrs AC Trout gave a silver teapot

Dr and Mrs T Greenwood gave a "pen-painted table centre"

Mrs Westbrook gave a silver muffineer

The misses Pritchett gave nutcrackers

etc etc for a whole column of similar presents/donors, plus details of hymns sung, bridesmaids, dresses worn

- a contrast to Four Years on the Western Front! Bear in mind that just a year before the author was somewhere on the Cambrai Road.

[delta]

To add pictures, use the "More reply options£ rather than typpe your reply and then clicking "post".

You will see the "attach files" button below the text box,

Be careful to ensure that your images are below 250 KB and jpegs are the best format

[teabreak]

Thanks. Here is the picture, with apologies for poor scan quality.