George Smith

War Service

George Smith enlisted at Pontefract and joined the South Wales Borderers with the service number 19871. According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website he was part of the 7th Battalion but www.roll-of-honour.com suggests that he was with the 4th Battalion. He was killed in action in Mesopotamia on 5th April 1916 aged 19. He has no known grave, so he is commemorated on the Basra Memorial, Iraq, panel 16 & 62.
Pontefract Advertiser 20th May 2016
“Mr and Mrs T Smith of West Riding Villas, Ferrybridge, have lost their gallant son Private George Smith, who has met a hero’s end fighting for his country. It was on Whit Monday last that the deceased, who then worked for Messrs Jackson, joined the South Wales Borderers, at the early age of 17, his fine build easily enabling him to pass as “apparently 18” - thereby setting a fine example to the slackers who are still waiting to be “fetched”. The sad news was conveyed in a very sympathetic letter from deceased’s company commander Captain C A Macaulay, who says “It is with many regrets that I write to tell you of the death of your son. He was killed in action at 9.30 on the morning of April 5th, whilst we were making an attack on a Turkish position… he did not suffer, as he was killed in a noble cause and he went as only brave men do. Please accept my sincerest sympathy in your very great bereavement.”
Singularly, by the same post, came a letter from deceased himself, acknowledging papers and a box of cigarettes, which he says he was very glad to have as none were procurable in the district. He speaks of hot weather, sends his hopes for his grandmother’s recovery form illness, asks after “Tommy” and concludes “your loving son, George. Goodnight and God bless you all,” with a large number of kisses “for all.”
Mr & Mrs Smith will receive every sympathy in their distress, which is made all the more acute by the fact that they have just lost, within a week, two other children – Florrie aged 6 and Edward aged 8.”
Pontefract Advertiser 1st July 1916
“SMITH George
ROBINSON Harry
On Sunday the Vicar (Rev A H B Lees) conducted a service at the Parish Church in memory of Private George Smith who was killed in action in Mesopotamia and of Stoker Harry Robinson, of HMS “Queen Mary” who was a member of the choir before enlisting. The Vicar in a sympathetic address, pointed out the satisfaction which the villagers generally ought to feel that the proportion of losses amongst their friends and relatives was so small compared with the large number who had gone on active service. The organist (Mr F A Ellis) played Beethoven’s “Dead March.”

Family Life

George Smith was born at Ferrybridge, possibly in the year 1897. He was the son of Thomas and Ada Smith. Thomas Smith and Ada Draper had married on 22nd August 1887 at St Andrew’s Church, Ferrybridge.
In the 1911 census George was a Pottery Turner living at Chapel Lane, Ferrybridge with his parents and siblings.

Basra Military Memorial