Have You a Tiger In Your Family?

Rank : Private

Army Number : 34536

Unit : 8th Bn

Biography :

Served with the 8th Battalion in France and Flanders during World War One. Died 17.12.1918. He is buried at Cologne Southern Cemetery, Germany.

From www.carmiburrow,co.uk

34536 Private Arthur Smith
Arthur Smith was the fourth son of Thomas Smith, a labourer, and Harriett Lovett who married on 8 November 1875 in the parish church at Duffield. Both Harriett and Thomas lived in the village, and Harriett brought two sons to the marriage. The family lived in Duffield after their wedding, and in 1881, when the census return was made, lived at Tamworth Terrace with another three sons. Arthur was born on 3 November 1884.

By the time the 1891 census was taken the family had moved to Back Street. Thomas was still working as a labourer, and Arthur had two younger sisters. Finances must have been stretched, with six children under working age, and the family had two lodgers to help support them. Most of the children including six year old Arthur were at school, and just one baby sister at home. It wasn’t until 19 November 1893 that Arthur was taken to the parish church for baptism on 19 November 1893.

The family moved to Tamworth Street at some point, and when the next census was taken Arthur, then aged sixteen, had left school and was working as a groom. This wasn’t to be a permanent career choice for young Arthur, as when he married local girl Phyllis Clara Hall on 12 April 1909 at Christ Church, Belper, he gave his occupation as assistant dyer. Arthur and Phyllis, still living at Tamworth Street, had a daughter, Essie, later that year but sadly she died in infancy and was buried on 26 March 1910 in Duffield cemetery.

Arthur attested into the army on 9 December 1915 and was posted to the army reserve. He was called for medical examination at Chilwell on 10 April 1917, where he was recorded as being 5’ 61⁄2” tall, weighing 126 lbs and having a 36” chest. He gave his religion as Wesleyan and occupation as engine driver. Arthur was given the service number 34536 and his service was reckoned from 21 May 1917 when he was posted to the 8th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, a service battalion, part of 110th Brigade in the 37th Division.

After completing his initial training Arthur was sent to Folkestone on 26 September 1917, where he embarked for France. Arthur was assigned to A Company and went straight into the front line when he joined his comrades near Black Watch Corner in what was to become known as the Battle of Polygon Wood. This was rapidly followed by the Battle of Broodseinde on 4 October. In November and December the men were involved in the Second Battle of Passchendaele and the Cambrai Operations.

Christmas and New Year went unrecorded in the battalion war diary, and the men started 1918 in support in Épehy, A Company being accommodated in cellars in the village. The routine of being in the front line, in reserve and resting carried on through the early days of 1918. In mid March the battalion was again in Épehy.

The war diary reported: ‘During the night of 21/22 from information received it was evident that small parties of the enemy had reached the EPEHY-ST EMILIE ROAD, it was also reported that a small party about 20 strong had been seen near the Advance Dressing Station on the SW edge of Épehy’. There followed a day of fierce fighting during which time Private Arthur smith was taken prisoner.

Arthur was first taken to Moünster II, before being moved on to Friedrichsfeld prison camp. Friedrichsfeld is about 100km north of Cologne; the camp was known to be a ‘good’ camp. Space was allocated for physical activity and the vegetable growing There was an emphasis on personal hygiene and even a laundry area for prisoners and adequate shower rooms. The camp had a theatre and the prisoners produced their own shows.

By the time Arthur was taken prisoner Phyllis had moved to 64 Eland Street, Basford. Arthur’s English prisoner of war records show Arthur’s next of kin as J W Bundle, Paper Manufacturer, Samlesbury, near Preston, though German records give Phyllis’s address. Arthur remained at Friedrichsfeld until the end of the war, but did not live long enough to be repatriated. He died, aged 34, of tuberculosis in the prisoner of war hospital there on 17 December 1918, and was buried in Grave 68 marked with a wooden cross. After the war, when the Commonwealth War Graves Committee took over the upkeep of graves Arthur was reburied in the Cologne Southern Cemetery.

For his service to his country Private Arthur Smith earned the British War Medal and the Victory Medal, which were sent to his widow, Phyllis in December 1921. His accrued pay and War Gratuity payment amounting to £38/8 were also sent to Phyllis. His service notes indicate that Phyllis was left with two surviving children. In 1939 Phyllis was living and working in Alfreton as a domestic servant. She moved back to Derbyshire where she died in 1954.

Place of Birth : & Duffield & Derbyshire

Date of Death : 17.12.1918

Place of Death : & & Germany

Civil Occupation : Assistant Dyer

Period of Service : 1910s

Conflicts : WW1