Frederick Sydney Smith was born on 3 August 1897 at Bakewell, Derbyshire. He was the second child of Alfred and Mary Smith. His father was a tailor and former soldier who also played in local brass bands. Frederick had 10 surviving siblings, 8 boys and 2 girls – his elder brother Alfred was also a casualty of the War. By 1901 the family was living in Oswestry, home town of their mother, Mary Hannah, at 10 Gatacre Place, later moving to 1 Swan Crescent. After school Frederick would work in the confectionery department at Messrs. Jones & Roberts in Oswestry.

Frederick served with the 11 Bn Manchester Regiment.  He enlisted at Oswestry probably in late 1915 when he turned 18; he was most likely a conscript. He was posted to 11 Bn Manchester Regiment and likely went over to France in late 1916. He was shot in the head by a sniper on 21 November 1917. At that time the battalion was in the front line in front of Cite St August to the north of Loos. Frederick is buried in St Patrick’s Cemetery, Loos. His Headstone reads ‘ Behold God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid’ chosen by his mother. At a memorial service, held at St Oswald’s and officiated by the Rev Lutener, a letter from the regimental chaplain, Rev. John Reay, was read out – ‘…your gallant boy did not suffer pain. He was surprised and shot through the head by a German before dawn. His comrades brought his body down from the trenches and I laid him in his grave today. You will be able to get a photograph of the sacred spot though that will take some months. The area is still under shell fire…. His face seemed to show he did not suffer but died at his post like a true soldier’. Frederick is also commemorated on the war memorial at St Oswald’s Church.

Acknowledgements.

References and Sources

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