Smithies Surname Index> This page
Smithies Casualties of War: Boer War, WW1 & WW2

Original marking for the grave of
James Hardy Smithies at Etaples

"Dawn was theirs,
And sunset, and the colours of the earth"
Rupert Brooke, The Dead

  About those who lost their lives
and dedicated to their memory.
Includes all known SMITHIES and one SMITHIE.
  • Abbreviations
  • Boer War Casualties
    D
  • World War 1 Casualties
    Albert | Arthur (2) | Edward | Eli | Ettie Louise | Ernest | Frank | Fred
    Harry | Herbert | James | James Hardy | Joe Henry | John Lyon
    Joshua | Josiah | Norman Wharton | Richard (2) | Robert | Samuel (2)
    Sydney | Tom [SMITHIE] | Thomas | Thomas Edward | Tom Newton
    Wilfred | William Ashley
  • World War 2 Casualties
    Archbell | Donald Arthur | George Henry | Harold Frederick
    Henry Sydney | Jack (2) | James | James Alfred | James Hardy
    John Stuart Bob | Joseph | Sydney William | William Joseph
  • Research Information

It is not unusual for casualties to have been buried with others from their regiments. Often there are two or three together. In a graveyard outside Wimereux we have seen some graves that contained up to nine men.

The Casualties who are commemorated on a panel at one of the CWGC cemeteries unfortunately have no known grave.



 
Smithies Index
Births (1837-1841)
Marriages (1837-1841)
Deaths (1837-1841)
Casualties of War,
ONS references
Casualties of War,
those who died
General information on the data
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London Gazette
30 May 1919
AWARDED THE ROYAL RED CROSS.
1st Class.
Miss Ethel Smithies, Sister, Q.A.I.M.N.S.R.
Ethel survived the War
›› Read about her



There are many memorials at the National Arboretum Memorial
›› See their website
Abbreviations
DoW - Died of Wounds
KiA - Killed in Action
ToW - Theatre of War
F & F - France and Flanders
A/R/H - Army Roll of Honour
d/o - daughter of
s/o - son of
Unm - Unmarried
Boer War Casualties
SMITHIES, D
[ONS has surname as SMITHERS see Casualties of War, WW1 & WW2 - refs]
Corporal, 1st Battalion Yorkshire Regiment.
Died of disease.
›› See Yorkshire Regiment Boer War Memorial
World War 1 Casualties
SMITHIES, Albert
Born ?
KiA Sunday 14 April 1918.
Private 1st/4th Bn., King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
Service No: 242602
Enlisted: Huddersfield
Memorial: Tyne Cot Memorial, is NE of Ieper and one of four Memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders
Memorial Reference: Panel 108 to 111
ToW: F & F
SMITHIES, Arthur
Born Burnley 1892
Died Wednesday 23 February 1916, age 23.
Driver 1st East Lancs Bde., Royal Field Artillery
Service No: 1849
Additional Information: Husband of E. Smithies (first name unknown), of 57, Blackburn Rd., Haslingden, Rossendale, LAN.
Buried: Burnley Cemetery, Lancashire
Grave: A. 14797
SMITHIES, Arthur
Born Stainland, YKS 1882
KiA Wednesday 11 April 1917.
He is believed to have died at the second battle of Boulecourt in April 1917 [from his grandson, Granville Smithies]
Rifleman 2nd/7th Bn., West Yorkshire Regt. (Prince of Wales's Own)
Service No: 235174
Additional Information: married Hannah Clegg in 1911, 1 son 1 daughter. A Master draper
Commemorated: Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France
Memorial Reference: Bay 4
›› See War Graves photos (Arras) elsewhere on this site
SMITHIES, Edward
Born Ribchester, LAN 1877
Died Thursday 16 September 1915. Age 38.
Private Royal Army Medical Corps
Service No: 59341
Additional Information: s/o James and Margaret Smithies, of Ribchester, Preston, LAN. He was a farmer's son
Buried: Colchester Cemetery, Essex
Grave: C. 12. 2.
See grave location and photo of the War Graves Plot
SMITHIES, Eli
Born Read, Blackburn, LAN
KiA Sunday 16 May 1915
Rifleman 1st Bn., King's Royal Rifle Corps
Service No: 4387
Commemorated: Le Touret Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. The Memorial in Le Touret Military Cemetery, Richebourg-l'Avoue, is one of those erected by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to record the names of the officers and men who fell in the Great War and whose graves are not known.
Memorial Reference: Panel 32 and 33
›› War Memorial in the churchyard of St John the Evangelist, Read
›› Sabden War Memorial
›› Letter to wife
SMITHIES, Ettie Louise
[ONS indexes have Ettie L at birth and death, CWGC has Ellen L and Medals Roll at TNA has Ellie L]
Born Mile End, London 1888.
Died Saturday, 22nd February 1919. Age 42.
Staff Nurse 3rd Southern Gen. Hosp., Territorial Nursing Service
Additional Information: d/o Arthur H. and Henrietta M. Smithies, of 245, York Rd., West Hartlepool. By 1901 she had moved to Moss Side, Manchester and was employed as a Confectioner Baker.
Commemorative Information:
Cemetery City of London Cemetery and Crematorium, Manor Park, Essex
Grave Reference/ Panel Number: 85. 2519
ToW: France
Date of entry therein: 23-4-18
SMITHIES, Ernest
Born Rhodes, Manchester 1893
KiA Saturday, 12th May 1917. Age 23.
Corporal 10th Bn., Lancashire Fusiliers
Service No: 33737
Additional Information s/o Mrs. Mary Ann Smithies, of 60, Boardman Lane, Rhodes, Middleton, Manchester.
Memorial: Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France
Memorial Reference: Bay 5
›› See War Graves photos (Arras) elsewhere on this site
SMITHIES, Frank
Born Bradford 1895
Died Friday, 1st January 1915. Age 20.
Private H.M.S. "Formidable", Royal Marine Light Infantry
Service No: CH/17800
Additional Information: s/o Charles and Edith Smithies, of 44, Rand St., Bradford, YKS.
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent. This Memorial commemorates those members of the Royal Navy who had no known grave, the majority of deaths having occurred at sea where no permanent memorial could be provided.
Grave Reference/Panel Number: 13
›› The Story of the Sinking of HMS Formidable
SMITHIES, Fred
Nationality: New Zealand
KiA 12 Oct 1917, age 39
Private 1st Bn. Canterbury Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
Service No: 47367
Additional information: s/o Robert and Mary Smithies, of 10, Mona Square, Ashburton, Canterbury, NZ
Commemorated: Tyne Cot Memorial, is NE of Ieper and one of four Memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders
Memorial Reference: N.Z. Apse, Panel 2
SMITHIES, Harry
Born St. Mary's, Sheffield, YKS [1899?]
KiA Friday 7 January 1916
Lance Corporal
1st Bn., Seaforth Highlanders
Service No: S/10218
Commemorated: Basra Memorial, Iraq. The Basra Memorial commemorates more than 40,500 members of the Commonwealth forces who died in the operations in Mesopotamia from the Autumn of 1914 to the end of August 1921 and whose graves are not known.
Memorial: Panel 37 and 64
SMITHIES, Herbert
Born Bradford, YKS
KiA Sunday 8 November 1914
Private 2nd Bn., Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regt.)
Service No: 8159
Resided Howick, Northumberland
Memorial: Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, one of four Memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders which cover the area known as the Ypres Salient
Memorial Reference: Addenda Panel 58
SMITHIES, James
b. 1883 Middleton, Lancashire
KiA Wednesday, 27th March 1918, aged 34.
Serjeant 1st/7th Bn., Manchester Regiment
Service No: 400523Memorial: Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France
Memorial Reference: Bay 7
Additional information: s/o James Smithies and Caroline, 2nd wife, of Manchester, a tailor. In 1901 the family were living in Horbury, YKS and James was a Bricklayers Apprentice
›› See War Graves photos (Arras) elsewhere on this site
››The family of James Smithies
››The 7th Battalion War Memorial is located in Whitworth Park, Oxford Road, Manchester


Sgt. James Smithies   His name is with others from the Manchester Regiment with no known grave listed in Bay 7 at Arras
SMITHIES, James Hardy
Born Salford 1892
Died on Friday, 28th February 1919, aged 26.
Private Royal Army Service Corps
Service No: S/359660
Awards: Mentioned in Despatches
Private Smithies, Claims Commission, s/o Martha and the late William Henry Smithies; husband of Daisy E. Smithies, of 272, Lower Broughton Rd., Lower Broughton, Manchester. 2 daughters, 1 son.
Buried: Etaples Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.
Grave Number: LXXII. D. 21.
ToW: F & F
›› See War Graves photos (Etaples) elsewhere on this site, including photo of gravestone
Also commemorated:
1. Roll of Honour - The Church of St John the Evangelist, Broughton [Parish Magazine, July 1920, all parishioners eligible, whatever their denomination] - James Hardy Smithies listed.
2. Agecroft Cemetery, Swinton, Manchester, on headstone of his parents

James Hardy Smithies
Photograph of James, taken in France
James is the grandfather of the webmistress
SMITHIES, Joe Henry
Born Huddersfield 1890 and lived Huddersfield. In 1901 he was recorded as being born Stainland and living Stainland With Old Lindley
Died 23rd January 1917 (Soldiers Died records that he died, not KiA).
Private 8th Bn., Yorkshire Regiment - Soldiers Died records him as 7th Battalion "Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment)"
Service No: 42657
Formerly 29/735, Northumberland Fus. Enlisted Halifax.
Cemetery: Railway Dugouts Burial Ground, Zillebeke, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium (assume buried there). Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm) is located 2 kilometres south-east of Ieper town centre
Grave Reference/Panel Number: VII. F. 9.
ToW: F & F
SMITHIES, John Lyon
Born Downham, LAN 1896. Resided Downham
Died Friday 7 June 1918. Age 21.
Lance Corporal 549th Field Coy., Royal Engineers
Service No: 434409
Additional Information: s/o Richard and Elizabeth Smithies, of White House, Downham.
Buried: Downham (St. Leonard) Churchyard, LAN
SMITHIES, Joshua
Born 1894 Withnell, LAN and living there in 1901. Residence when enlisted was Wheelton, LAN.
Died 20 Apr 1917
Private 1st/7th Bn Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Service No: 268227
Cemetery: Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension
Grave/Memorial Reference: III. H. 3
SMITHIES, Josiah
Born Crompton LAN 1884. In 1901 was living there and working as a Coal Hewer
Private Royal Army Medical Corps
Died Thursday, 11th December 1919.
Buried: Crompton Cemetery, LAN
Grave/Memorial Reference: 10154.
›› Shaw and Crompton War Memorial
SMITHIES, Norman Wharton
Born 1894
Lance Corporal
Service No: 200605
1st/4th Bn., Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regt.)
who died on
Saturday 2 October 1920. Age 27.
Additional Information: s/o Joseph and Agnes Smithies, of Ovenden, Halifax.
Cemetery: Mount Zion Methodist Chapelyard, Yorkshire
›› Details of the Church
SMITHIES, Richard
KiA Wednesday 31 May 1916 . Age 24
Stoker 1st Class
Service No: SS/113715
H.M.S. "Defence", Royal Navy
Additional Information: s/o Charles and Edith Smithies, of 44, Rand St., Bradford, Yorks.
Richard died at the Battle of Jutland. H.M.S. "Defence" - a Minotaur class first class armoured cruiser - was attempting, with other British ships, to finish off the stricken SMS Wiesbaden, shortly before the height of the battle.
›› British Losses at Jutland 31 May - 1 June 1916
Cemetery: Plymouth Naval Memorial, Devon
Memorial Reference: 16
SMITHIES, Richard
Born Burnley, LAN
KiA 6th September 1917. Age 23.
Private 1st/5th Bn., East Lancashire Regiment
Service No: 241858
Additional Information s/o Richard and Sarah Ellen Smithies, of 20, Albany Terrace, Burnley.
Memorial: Tyne Cot Memorial, is NE of Ieper and one of four Memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders
Memorial Reference: Panel 77 to 79 and 163A
ToW: F & F
SMITHIES, Robert
Born Fall River, U.S.A.
KiA Sunday, 2nd July 1916.
Enlisted: Accrington, Lancs
Private 11th Bn., East Lancashire Regiment
Service No: 15311
Memorial: Thiepval Memorial, nr Albert, is the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme
Panel Number: Pier and Face 6 C
ToW: F & F
›› Robert was one of the Accrington Pals
›› See War Graves photos (Thiepval) elsewhere on this site
SMITHIES, Samuel
Born 1891 Oldham
Died Thursday, 7th September 1916.
Private 9th Bn., Manchester Regiment
attd. 1st/7th Bn., The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Service No: 4485
Additional Information: s/o Mrs. Mary Smithies, of 552, Ashton Rd., Hathershaw, Oldham.
Commemorated: Quarry Cemetery, Montauban, Somme, France
Grave Reference/Panel Number: I. A. 2.
ToW: F & F
Possibly commemorated St Albion's Church, Ashton-under-Lyne - Rolls of Honour to the 9th (from Manchester Regiment Memorials)
SMITHIES, Samuel
Born 1894 Birkenhead, CHS
Died Sunday 3 November 1918, age 24
Sapper 436th Field Coy., Royal Engineers
Service No: 446653
Additional Information: s/o Richard and Sarah Ann Smithies, of 2, Whitford Rd., Tranmere, Birkenhead.
Cemetery: Ramleh (now Ramla) War Cemetery, Israel
Grave or Reference Panel Number: EE. 28.
Also commemorated:
›› Cenotaph in Birkenhead (Carl's Cam) - First & Second World Wars - Birkenhead WW1
›› The Welsh Field Company, RE memorial, Carmarthen
SMITHIES, Sydney
Both CWGC and Soldiers Died List as Smithers
Born Skinningrove, YKS 1894 (as Smithies)
KiA 3 September 1916
Rifleman 10th Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps
Service No: R/2529
Enlisted: Middlesboro Residence: None given
Memorial: Thiepval Memorial, nr Albert, is the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme
Panel Number: Pier and Face 13 A and 13 B.
ToW: F & F
›› See War Graves photos (Theipval) elsewhere on this site
SMITHIE, Tom
Born 1889 Hawkshaw, LAN
DoW Friday 8 September 1916, age 27.
Private 14th Bn., Hampshire Regiment
Service No: 16665
Additional Information: s/o Mr. and Mrs. C. T. Smithie, of Hawkshaw, nr. Bury, Lancs. Tom lived Hawkshaw (Soldiers Died)
Buried: Etaples Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.
Grave Number: X. C. 11
ToW: F & F
›› See War Graves photos (Etaples) elsewhere on this site
SMITHIES, Thomas
Born ?
KiA Friday 19 November 1915
Corporal 1st/6th Bn., West Yorkshire Regt. (Prince of Wales's Own)
Service No: 3031
Enlisted: Bradford, YKS
Residence: ?
Memorial: Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, one of four Memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders which cover the area known as the Ypres Salient
Memorial Reference: Panel 21
ToW: F & F
SMITHIES, Thomas Edward
Born 1898 Goole, YKS
KiA Thursday 12 September 1918. Age 19
Private 2nd/4th (T.F.) Battalion, Hampshire Regiment
Service No: 357031
Additional Information: Son of John Frederick and Lucy Smithies, of 221, Powerscourt Rd., Portsmouth, HAM. Native of Goole.
Enlisted: Portsmouth
Cemetery: Lowrie Cemetery, Havrincourt, Pas de Calais, France
Grave or Reference Panel Number: J. 25.
ToW: F & F
SMITHIES, Tom Newton
Born 1889
DoW Monday 4 September 1916. Age 27
Lance Corporal "Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment)", 5th Bn., Yorkshire Regiment
Service No: 2678
Residence: ?
Additional Information: s/o the late John and Emma Smithies, of Thornton-le-dale, YKS. Enlisted Malton
Cemetery: Forceville Communal Cemetery and Extension, Somme, France
Grave: Plot 3. Row C. Grave 1.
ToW: F & F
Also commemorated: ›› The Beck Isle Museum Great War Project
Swinton Grange Roll - St Helen's Church Amoth.
Wall Plaque to Fallen All Saints, Thornton le Dale
SMITHIES, Wilfred
[Wilford in Soldiers Died]
Born Waterhead, LAN 1894
KiA Saturday, 1st July 1916. Age 21.
Private 1st Bn., King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regt.)
Service No: 17699
Enlisted: Oldham
Additional Information: s/o John and Mary Smithies, of 14, Howard St., Waterhead, LAN.
Memorial: Thiepval Memorial, nr Albert, is the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme
Panel Number: Pier and Face 5 D and 12 B
ToW: F & F
›› See War Graves photos (Thiepval) elsewhere on this site
SMITHIES, William Ashley
Died Sunday 23 February 1919. Age 25
Private "X" Coy. 8th Bn., Northumberland Fusiliers
Service No: 4816
Additional Information: s/o Mr. and Mrs. Smithies, of Bank Top, Great Horton, Bradford, Yorks.
Buried: Etaples Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.
Grave Number: LXXII. C. 29.
›› See War Graves photos (Etaples) elsewhere on this site
World War 2 Casualties
SMITHIES, Archbell
Born and resided Manchester (A/R/H)
Died 13 Jan 1944, age 24.
Private 2nd Bn. The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)
Service No: 3858617
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Commemorated / Buried: Yokohama War Cemetery, Japan. The cemetery contains the graves of Commonwealth servicemen who died in Japan as prisoners of war or with the occupying forces after the war.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Brit. Sec. C. D. 13
›› Yokohama War Cemetery has Roll of Honour and Cemetery site plan
SMITHIES, Donald Arthur
Born 1916
Died 13 March 1941
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sergeant 77 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Service No: 754932
Additional information: s/o Arthur and Edith Mary Smithies, of Wilmslow, CHS.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Memorial: Runnymede Memorial. "The Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede commemorates by name over 20,000 airmen who were lost in the Second World War during operations from bases in the United Kingdom and North and Western Europe, and who have no known graves. They served in Bomber, Fighter, Coastal, Transport, Flying Training and Maintenance Commands, and came from all parts of the Commonwealth".
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 52.
›› Runnymede Memorial
Also commemorated Wilmslow War Memorial and on the brass memorial in St. Bartholemew's Church
›› See Carl's Cam - First & Second World Wars, then click Cheshire, then Wilmslow both links
SMITHIES, George Henry
Born and resided Huddersfield (A/R/H)
Private 81 Coy., Pioneer Corps
Service No: 13070941
Died Wednesday, 25th November 1942, age 29.
Additional Information: s/o Walter and Emily Smithies, of Primrose Hill, Huddersfield.
Commemorated: Bone War Cemetery , Algeria. Bone War Cemetery contains 868 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War. There are also 14 non-war burials, mostly of merchant seamen whose deaths were not due to war service. The cemetery also contains one First World War burial which was transferred here from Bone Communal Cemetery.
Panel Number: VI. F. 7
Smithies, Harold Frederick
Born Salford 1917
Died Saturday, 23rd October 1943, age 26. Unm. Fiancée.
Petty Officer H.M.S. Charybdis, Royal Navy
Service No: D/JX 138674
Additional Information: s/o James Hardy Smithies (deceased, see WW1 above) and Daisy Evelyn Smithies, of Broughton, Salford, Lancashire, two sisters. Cousin of Jack and James Hardy Smithies (both below). Uncle of webmistress
Buried: St. Brieuc Western Communal Cemetery, Cotes-d'Armor, France. The great majority of the sailors buried lost their lives when H.M.S. Charybdis was sunk off the Bord de la Rance in October, 1943. ›› See photograph of cemetery in the Smithies Index
Grave Reference: Plot H. Row E. Grave 9.
Also commemorated: WW2 War Memorial, Wirral Museum, Hamilton Square, Birkenhead, Cheshire.
›› See Carl's Cam - First & Second World Wars, then click Cheshire, then Birkenhead WW2

Charybdis was a Dido-class cruiser, one of a series of 11 built during the 1930's and commissioned in 1941. This was the largest disaster to overtake British naval forces in the English Channel during the WW2. In the early hours of the 23rd two warships, HMS Charybdis & Limbourne, were sunk and over 500 men were killed / drowned.

 

Harold Frederick Smithies

Photograph of Harold (squatting) taken on board H.M.S. Charybdis
The identity of the other crew members is unknown
  Illustrated London News
July 24 1943
Cutting from the "Illustrated London News" saved by my late parents
H.M. CRUISER "CHARYBDIS"
From the story of Ulysses in
Odyssey: a fig tree issuing from
a whirlpool with an inverted bat.
White field
 
SMITHIES, Henry Sidney
Born and Resided Darlington (A/R/H)
Died Monday, 12th July 1943. Age 19.
Trooper Royal Armoured Corps
Service No: Service No: 14544695
Additional Information: s/o Edward and Ada Smithies, of Croft Spa, Yorkshire.
Buried: Hurworth (All Saints) Churchyard, Durham - New Churchyard
Grave Reference/Panel Number: S.W.
SMITHIES, Jack
Born Salford 1917.
Residence Manchester (A/R/H)
Died 5 June 1941, aged 24, in hospital in Alexandria of a rare lung complaint normally caught by ostlers. Unm.
Nationality: United Kingdom
Lance Serjeant 3 L. of C. Sigs., Royal Corps of Signals
Service No: 2324206
[Joined the Army?] Branch at 01 Sep 1939 (A/R/H)
Additional information: s/o William Henry and Ada Elizabeth Smithies, of Prestwick, Lancashire (only son), one sister. Lived Manchester. Cousin of Harold Frederick (above) & James Hardy Smithies (below) and nephew of James Hardy Smithies (see WW1) who was his father's twin brother.
ToW: He served in the Western Desert before being sent to Greece
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Cemetery: Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Memorial Cemetery
Grave/Memorial Reference: P. 188.
ToW: Middle East
›› The Graveyards of Gallipoli - Chatby
  Jack Smithies
Photograph of Jack,
taken in Blackpool about 1940,
kindly given by his neice June.
SMITHIES, Jack
Born and Resided Halifax (A/R/H)
Died Monday, 31st July 1944, age 24.
Private 8th Bn., Parachute Regiment, A.A.C.
Service No: 2064184
Additional Information: s/o Mr. and Mrs. S. Smithies; husband of J. L. Smithies, of Leeds, Yorkshire.
Cemetery: Ranville War Cemetery, Calvados, France. Ranville was the first village to be liberated in France when the bridge over the Caen Canal was captured intact in the early hours of 6 June by troops of the 6th Airborne Division, who were landed nearby by parachute and glider.
Grave Reference Panel Number: IA. A. 12
SMITHIES, James
Born Middlesborough (A/R/H)
Residence Birkenhead (A/R/H)
Died Monday, 29th May 1944. Age 21.
Gunner 51 Bty., 69 Field Regt., The Queen's Royal Regt (West Surrey) Royal Artillery
Service No: 11271262
Additional Information: s/o Arthur and Annie Smithies, of Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire. Served with the "Chindits".
Cemetery: Madras War Cemetery, Chennai, India
Grave Panel Number: 5. C. 8
SMITHIES, James Alfred
Born 1899/1900 Leeds (registered 1900)
Died Saturday, 14th August 1943. Age 44.
Serjeant 19 Workshop Coy., Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers
Service No: 72874
Additional Information: Husband of Florence Smithies, of Prenton, Cheshire.
Cemetery: Tel el Kebir War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt
Grave Reference/ Panel Number: 4. J. 3.
His is not listed on Prenton's War Memorial
›› The Graveyards of Gallipoli - Tel el Kabir
SMITHIES, James Hardy (Jimmy)
Born Salford 1924.
Died Monday, 24th November 1941. Age 17. Unm.
Ordinary Seaman H.M.S. Dunedin, Royal Navy
Service No: P/JX 164209
Additional Information: s/o Frederick Hugh and Rose Smithies, of Salford, Lancashire, 1 brother, 1 sister. Cousin of Harold Frederick & Jack Smithies above and nephew of James Hardy Smithies (see WW1).
Memorial: Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire
Grave Reference/ Panel Number: Panel 51, Column 7
Location: The Memorial is situated on Southsea Common overlooking the promenade, and is accessible at all times.
HMS Dunedin (Capt. R.S. Lovatt, RN) was sunk at 1526 hours on 24 November 1941 in the Central Atlantic east of St. Paul's Rocks, north east of Recife, Brazil by 2 torpedoes from the German submarine U-124. Only 4 officers and 63 men survived out of a crew of 486 officers and men.

›› H.M.S. Dunedin
  James Hardy Smithies
Jimmy, aged about 16,
whilst training on H.M.S. Ganges.
With thanks to Bill and Brenda Evans
SMITHIES, John Stuart Bob
Born Plymouth. Resided Leeds (A/R/H)
Died Monday, 10th July 1944, age 22.
Lieutenant 7th, Royal Tank Regiment, R.A.C.
Service No: 269607
Additional Information: s/o Walter Stuart Smithies and Mary Ellen Smithies, of Roundhay, Leeds, Yorkshire.
Cemetery: Banneville-la-Campagne War Cemetery, Calvados, France. For the most part, the men buried at Banneville-la-Campagne War Cemetery were killed in the fighting from the second week of July 1944, when Caen was captured, to the last week in August
Grave Panel Number: VI. B. 16
SMITHIES, Joseph
Born ? 1886/7
Date of Death: 4 June 1942, age 55.
Nationality: Australian
Rank: Able Seaman, Australian Merchant Navy, S.S. Iron Crown (Sydney)
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Memorial: The Sydney Memorial, which stands in Sydney War Cemetery
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 9.
The Iron Crown Sank after being struck by a torpedo
›› Information abou the Sinking of the Iron Crown
›› Sydney War Cemetery
›› Australian Merchant Seamens Memorial
SMITHIES, Sydney William
Born and resided Middlesbrough (A/R/H)
Died Wednesday, 15th September 1943, age 24.
Signalman Royal Corps of Signals
Service No: 2325774
Cemetery: Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Thailand
"The notorious Burma-Siam railway, built by Commonwealth, Dutch and American prisoners of war, was a Japanese project driven by the need for improved communications to support the large Japanese army in Burma. During its construction, approximately 13,000 prisoners of war died and were buried along the railway".
This cemetery "is only a short distance from the site of the former 'Kanburi', the prisoner of war base camp through which most of the prisoners passed on their way to other camps. It was created by the Army Graves Service who transferred to it all graves along the southern section of railway, from Bangkok to Nieke. Some 300 men who died (most from a Cholera epidemic in May/June 1943) at Nieke camp were cremated and their ashes now lie in two graves in the cemetery. The names of these men are inscribed on panels in the shelter pavilion".
Grave Reference/Panel Number: 2. G. 22.
›› Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, includes photographs and site plan
Also commemorated on Middlesborough's War Memorial:
›› List of names on Memorial
›› Photograph of Memorial
SMITHIES, William Joseph
Born and resided Liverpool (A/R/H)
Died Tuesday, 8th May 1945, aged 27.
Signalman Royal Corps of Signals
attd. 11th Indian Div. Sigs., Indian Signal Corps
Service No: 2335899
Cemetery: Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Thailand
"The notorious Burma-Siam railway, built by Commonwealth, Dutch and American prisoners of war, was a Japanese project driven by the need for improved communications to support the large Japanese army in Burma. During its construction, approximately 13,000 prisoners of war died and were buried along the railway".
This cemetery "is only a short distance from the site of the former 'Kanburi', the prisoner of war base camp through which most of the prisoners passed on their way to other camps. It was created by the Army Graves Service who transferred to it all graves along the southern section of railway, from Bangkok to Nieke".
Grave Reference/ Panel Number: 8. A. 61
›› Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, includes photographs and site plan

Researched from the following sources

  1. Commonwealth War Graves Commission material, both before and after it became available online
  2. "Soldiers Died in the Great War" 1914-1919 database © Naval and Military Press Ltd 2006
  3. "Army Roll of Honour" 1939-45 database © Naval and Military Press Ltd 2006
  4. ONS Birth, Marriage and Death Indexes - for deaths see Casualties of War, WW1 & WW2 - refs
  5. Some death certificates
  6. Census returns of Great Britain, 1881 - 1901
  7. The London Gazette
  8. TNA, WO 372/ - WW1 Campaign Medals
  9. Salford LSL
  10. Visits to various war memorial sites and graveyards
  11. Correspondence with others
  12. Personal and family papers, including those saved by both my late mother and father

TNA WO 363/ (the Burnt/Unburnt Documents) has also been checked for some casualties but a complete search as not been undertaken at this time

I would also like to thank both relatives and correspondents for their help with photographs and family memorabilia especially William, Brenda, Harry and Jean Evans, June Wood and Granville Smithies


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