E Smith

Edgar Smith was born in 1890, the son of Frederick & Caroline E Smith (nee Gee). The family lived on Main Street, Smeeton Westerby in 1901, when Edgar’s occupation was recorded as a grocery assistant.

He married Gertrude Fanny Johnson at Kettering on 4th August 1913, and lived in Victoria Street, Fleckney.

At the date of his enlistment to the Durham Light Infantry at Market Harborough on 25th January 1915, Edgar’s occupation was that of Grocery Manager. He appears to have had short spells with the Leicestershire Regiment and the 3rd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, service number 37383, before being transferred to the 42nd Company of the Labour Corps, on 6th March 1917, service number 24974.

Private Smith died of wounds on 25th March 1918.

He was awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal, and is buried at Puchevillers British Cemetery, Somme, France, plot reference VII.E.6.

During June 2010, Private Smith’s medals were listed as “For sale” on a specialist medals website.