Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Joseph Smith, a grocer and shopkeeper, born 1863 in Needwood, Staffordshire and his wife Lizzie Annie Smith (nee Herrick, married in the 2nd quarter of 1891 in the Billesdon, Leicestershire district) born 1869 in Desford, Leicestershire, in March 1901 William Gordon, born in the 1st quarter of 1892 in Houghton on the Hill, Leicestershire was absent from the family home at Main Street, Houghton on the Hill, residing there was his father and mother and sibling, Lucy Gladys, born 1896 in Houghton on the Hill, William was residing at High Street, Kibworth Beauchamp, Leicestershire, this being the family home of his Aunt, Sarah Wilkinson, living on her own means, born 1839 in Stoughton, Leicestershire and his Aunt, Elizabeth Wilkinson, living on her own means, born 1834 and his widowed Aunt, Ann White, living on her own means, born 1836, the latter two Aunts were both born in Stoughton. In April 1911 William was absent from the family home at Houghton on the Hill, residing there was his father, a grocer, his mother and sister, Lucy, a schoolgirl.