William Charles Smith

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William Charles Smith

Postby gryphea » Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:55 am

Hello,
William Charles Smith was a private (202293) with the 1/7th Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment and was killed in action, reported missing on 9th October 1917, during the Battle of Poelcapplle.

Is it possible to find out what section of the 1/7th Battalion William belonged to, and what were the excact movements of this section leading to his death on the 9th October 1917.

Also, is it possible to explain how he became a member of the Worcestershire Regiment and where did he enrol, as he was born and lived in Windsor, Berkshire.

William Charles is my grandfathers brother.

Regards

Martyn Smith
gryphea
 
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Location: Warwickshire, U.K.

Re: William Charles Smith

Postby gilbo139 » Wed Aug 29, 2012 7:17 pm

Hello Martyn,
This isn't really an answer to your questions but perhaps a bit more information that might help...William Charles also had the number 5113( someone else may be able to tell you why). If you can find a copy in your local library of The Worcestershire Regiment in the Great War by Captain H Stacke, or buy a reprint from Amazon for about £65!! and read pages 293 to 297 it gives a good account of the fighting around Poelcappelle..........
On the right of the line B and C companies of the 1/7th Worcestershire attacked Adler Farm and the trenches just north of it. A protracted struggle raged around those defences but eventually they were outflanked and captured. Some 70 of the enemy surrendered another 50 were found dead and nine machine guns were taken. Then through the mud A and D companies ploughed their way forward and went through to attack Inch Houses and Wallemolen.Those strongholds however defied attack. their machine guns swept away to their front. The leaders of the two companies were shot down and the advance came to a standstill.
It was probably during the above account or whilst consolidating later in the day that William Charles was killed.

If you get chance read the whole account.....I have spent quite some hours walking around the area and have some modern day photos of the ground including the rebuilt farms of Inch Houses, Wallemolen, County Cross roads although unlike other areas there are no remnants left of the defences, it is all now as it was. Tyne Cot cemetery as you may know is just over a mile away as the crow flies.
Regards Colin
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Re: William Charles Smith

Postby Ratcliffe » Thu Mar 06, 2014 5:31 pm

Hello Martyn,
I would make a fair guess that William was a volunteer soldier who enlisted in 1915 and was serving in a Reserve (second line) unit with army number 5113. This number is still quite low which suggests he joined early (before conscription). His unit would likely be similar to Royal Army Service Corps as opposed to an Infantry unit but I cannot say which.
The second line units or 2nd line Territorial Reserve were essentially in a "home defence" role and used to supply soldiers for the 1st line (fighting) Regiment as required (for casualty replacement). Many none-infantry units did not have a high turnover so enjoyed prolonged training in Britain in relative safety 1914-1916.
In the summer of 1916 on the Western Front France British casualties final tally of 420,000 and the army was near to collapse. These were desperate times and so a “general order" was sent to all second line Regiments to send 200 soldiers each to Infantry Training Depo (ITD). These soldiers were essentially experienced soldiers who had already completed over 12 months training in a “non-infantry” role and they arrived at one of three ITD in France to compete a few weeks of intense infantry training and then they were assigned to their unit. There was no choice for soldiers in which Regiment the went to and most went to the units which suffered most casualties (not a great posting if you originally volunteered for a service corps).
This explains why a soldier from Windsor may ended up in Worcester Regiment.
There is also the possibility that William volunteered in Bristol which was a recruiting area for Worcester Regiment. I looked at casualties who share his number group and they are mostly from Devon (even further from Worcester).
This theory is based on what DID happened to Yeomanry soldiers who experienced the above!
Ratcliffe
 
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