Biography of Private James Henry Smith (27162)
1st Battalion King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)
Formerly 23104 Lincolnshire Regiment
Died 23rd October 1916

Soldier

  • Name: James Henry Smith
  • Date of birth: 1897
  • Place of Birth: Bourne, Lincolnshire, England
  • Date of Birth Registration: April – June 1897
  • Place of Birth Registration: Bourne, Lincolnshire, England

Father

  • Name: James Henry Smith
  • DOB: 4th May 1870
  • Place of Birth: Langtoft, Lincolnshire, England
  • Occupation: Porter on railway (G N & M line)

Mother

  • Name: Eliza Lunn
  • DOB: 22nd March 1868
  • Place Of Birth: Cawthorpe, Lincolnshire, England
  • Marriage: 1894 Bourne District

Siblings: (Name), (DOB), (POB)

  • Mary Ellen Smith, 1894, Bourne
  • George William Smith, 1895, Bourne (died 1896)
  • James Henry Smith, 1897, Bourne
  • Joseph Smith, 1898, Bourne (died 1899)
  • Arthur Jarvis Smith, 1899, Bourne (died 1900)
  • Florence Jarvis Smith, 1900, Bourne
  • Percy Jarvis Smith, 1902, Bourne
  • Edward Smith, 1903, Bourne
  • Alfred Thomas Smith, 1905, Bourne
  • Esther May Smith, 1907, Bourne (died 1907)
  • Doris Evelyn Smith, 1908, Bourne (died 1909)

Census

  • 1901: James is living with his parents in Eastgate, Bourne, Lincolnshire.
  • 1911: James is living with his parents near Tan Yard, Eastgate, Bourne, Lincolnshire. The census gives him an age of 14 and he is listed as a labourer on farm.
Relatives in services

  • None found

Marriage

  • No marriage for James has been found and because of his age we can assume that he never had the opportunity to marry.

Newspaper Mentions

  • Sheffield Daily Telegraph Wednesday 19th November 1916
    MISSING
    LANCASTER REGT.
    Smith (27162), J. H. (Bourne)

 

  • Lincolnshire Echo Wednesday 29th November 1916
    MISSING
    LANCASTER REGIMENT
    Smith, 27162 Pte. J. H. (Bourne)

 

  • Grantham Journal Saturday 2 December 1916
    King’s Own Royal Lancashires
    Missing
    Smith 27162 J. H. (Bourne)

 

  • Grantham Journal Saturday 18th August 1917
    BOURNE
    OFICIAL NOTIFICATION has this week received that Pte. Jas. Hy. Smith, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jas. H. Smith, of Eastgate, Bourne, has been reported killed.  Some twelve months ago, Pte. Smith was reported missing, and no further tidings had been received until the present time.

 

  • Grantham Journal Saturday 24 November 1917
    BOURNE
    IN MEMORIAM – To the respected memory of three Bourne soldiers, a memorial service was held in the Parish Church on Sunday afternoon, when a numerous congregation (larger than usual) attended.  Pte. Jim Tabor (killed Oct. 22nd), Pte. James Henry Smith (23rd october, 1916), and Pte. Sydney Jackson (Oct 22nd) were the three in respect of whom the service was held.  Their own favourite hymns were sung, Mr Leary presiding at the organ, and Mr. Fromant reading the lesson.  The Vicar addressed the mourners on the words, “The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.”  He remarked that weeping was a language which all could understand – one spoken everywhere at the present time; it was the universal tongue, comprehended alike by the English wife, the Italian mother, the French sister, or the Serbian child.  But the tears of to-day will be the glory of the next generations.  They will say, “Our fathers died for these days we inherit, and our mothers wept.  We have entered into their labours.  The Times, and the homes, the , the inheritance er enjoy were won by death and tears.”  Life will come out of death.  On one of the battlefields a shell fell amongst some thirsty soldiers, to whom no water could be sent.  That shell killed some , but it split the ground near a spring, and immediately there burst a stream of precious water.  So the death of somebecomes the life of others.  And the survuors will say-
    O valiant hearts, who to your glory came
    Through dust of conflict, and through battle flame;
    Tranquil you lie, your knightly virtue proved,
    Your memory hallowed in the land you loved.

 

Military Records

Attestation Papers

  • Available

Soldier’s Died In The Great War

  • These records show that Private James Henry Smith, 27162, 1st Bn King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment was killed in action on 23rd October 1916 in the Western European Theatre in France and Flanders.

Pension Records

  • Available

Effects Left To

  • Father James

Medals

  • The British Medal
  • The Victory Medal

Memorials

  • UK:
  • Bourne, Roll of Honour in Bourne Abbey Church
  • Bourne War Memorial in the Memorial Gardens

 

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

Military Service Timeline

  • This is ongoing research and will be posted when completed

Sources

  • WW1 Soldier’s Records (www.ancestry.co.uk)
  • British Newspaper Archive.
  • Fold 3
  • Find My Past
  • Genealogist
  • Forces War Records
  • British Army Service Numbers
  • War Gratuity Calculator
  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission
  • National Archives – Battalion War Diaries
  • General Registry Office