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 colliery banks man, born 1838 in Newton Burgoland, Leicestershire and his wife Catherine Eliza Smith (nee Hill, married on the 1st January 1886 in St. John the Baptist Church, Hugglescote, Leicestershire), born 1854 in Salford, Manchester, Lancashire (daughter of William Hill, 1816-1875 and Ellen Mills, 1820). John was born in the October quarter of 1893 in Hugglescote and baptised on the 18th February 1894 in St. John the Baptist Church, Hugglescote, his siblings were, twins, Jane, born on the 6th October 1886 and baptised on the 14th November 1886 in St. John the Baptist Church, Hugglescote and William, a colliery banks boy, baptised on the 4th November 1886 in St. John the Baptist Church, Hugglescote and Joseph (Joe), born in the October quarter of 1888 and baptised on the 17th November 1889 in St. John the Baptist Church, Hugglescote, all his siblings were born in Hugglescote, in March 1901 the family home was at Main Street, Hugglescote. In April 1911 John was employed as an above ground colliery labourer and was residing in the family home at 60, Main Street, Hugglescote, together with his father, mother and siblings, William, a farm wagoner and Joe, a tailor.
John’s army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Enlisted/Attested date and place not known.
Allotted. Service number. T4/212517.
Posted to Army Service Corps as a Driver.
First entered the theatre of war after the 31st December 1915 on a date not known.
Posted to Army Service Corps, Heavy Transport, date not known.
Died of wounds in Huddersfield War Hospital, Yorkshire from tuberculosis on the 27th March 1919.
Buried in Hugglescote Cemetery, Leicestershire, with the headstone inscription. “The Lord is my shepherd.”
Awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
On Wednesday, April 2nd, 1919, The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. COUNTY NEWS. – HUGGLESCOTE. – Soldier’s Death After War Service. – Military honours were accorded the funeral of Driver John Smith, R.A.S.C, H.T., at the cemetery here yesterday afternoon. The young soldier, who died at a war hospital at Huddersfield, at the age of 26 years, was the son of the late Mr. Joseph Smith and Mrs. Smith, of 60, Main-street. He enlisted at the beginning of hostilities, seeing service in Salonika, Egypt and France. Whilst at the latter front, he was invalided, having suffered with malaria fever, contracted while serving in Salonika and Palestine. He arrived in England about the second week in December, and died on the 27th March from tuberculosis. A large group of residents of the district witnessed the interment, a funeral party from Wigston Barracks preceding the coffin, which was covered with the Union Jack, and borne by soldiers to the grave. The Rev. Canon H. E. Broughton, vicar, conducted the service at the parish church and the graveside. The mourners included the aged mother of the deceased and deceased’s brother William, who was a prisoner of war in Germany for three years, and has re-engaged for further military service for three years. Deceased’s fiancée from Birmingham also attended. After the three volleys “The Last Post” was sounded. Several beautiful floral emblems were contributed by relatives and friends of the deceased’s family, and his comrades of a ward in the Huddersfield Military Hospital also sent a magnificent wreath, as did his fiancée. Deceased was a miner before the war, and voluntarily joined up at the time. Sergt. Major (now Captain) Harper, of the R.A.S.C., assisted in forming a detachment of the Corps at Hugglescote.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Coalville Times article - Friday April 4th, 1919

HUGGLESCOTE SOLDIER’S DEATH

VOLUNTEERED THE DAY WAR BROKE OUT

FUNERAL WITH MILITARY HONOURS

The death occurred in hospital at Huddersfield on Thursday last, of Driver John Smith, R.A.S.C. son of the late Mr Jos. Smith and Mrs Smith, of 60, Main Street, Hugglescote. Deceased, who was 25 years of age, volunteered for the army on the day that war broke out, being then a miner employed at the Ibstock Colliery, and he served in Salonika, Palestine and France, being invalided from the latter place in December last, and his death in Huddersfield Military Hospital, where he had been since, was due to tuberculosis. While abroad, he five times had malarial fever.

The funeral took place with military honours at Hugglescote Cemetery on Tuesday afternoon, the service being conducted by Canon Broughton (vicar). A military party from Wigston, with arms reversed, walked at the head of the funeral procession from the church to the cemetery, and there took up a position by the side of the grave.

The chief mourners were the mother, Private William Smith, of the Highland Light Infantry, (who has been a prisoner in Germany) and Mr Jos. Smith, wearing the silver badge (brothers), Mrs C. Cross (sister), Mr C. Cross (brother-in-law), Miss Amy Pitcher, Miss E. Bridgland, and Mrs Mugglestone.

The coffin was draped with the Union Jack and was borne by four comrades in khaki, all recently demobilised – Messrs. E. Smart, E. Cross, George Caldwell and S. Wilkins. The inscription on the coffin was

“Driver John Smith, A.S.C., H.T., died March 27th, aged 25 years,”

And after the body has been lowered into the grave the military party presented arms and fired three volleys, after which a bugler sounded “The Last Post.”

There were numerous beautiful floral tributes, one from his sorrowing mother, and brothers, Will and Joe, and others with cards bearing expressions of sympathy, from Jenny and Charlie, the “boys of ‘F’ ward” (Huddersfield), Mrs Kirk, Bishop and and Cooper, Mrs Newbold and Family, Mr and Mrs Pickering and Neddy, Mr and Mrs Alvin Smart and Louie, Mr and Mrs J. Thompson and Family, Captain and Mrs Harper, Mr and Mrs G. Cross and family, Mrs J. Smart and Ephraim, Mr and Mrs T. Simpkin and family, and the members and steward of the Hugglescote Constitutional and Unionist Institute.

Over the buildings of the latter, the flag was flying at half-mast, and the internment was witnessed by a large concourse of people, there being many manifestations of the respect in which the deceased was held and sympathy for the widowed mother and family.

Coalville Times article - Friday April 11th, 1919

THANKS

Mrs J. Smith and Family desire to tender their best thanks to all kind friends for sympathy extended towards them in their bereavement by the loss of their son and brother, John, who died at the Huddersfield War Hospital.

Main Street, Hugglescote.

Coalville Times article - Friday March 26th, 1920

IN MEMORIAM

Smith – In loving memory of Driver John Smith, R.A.S.C., who died at Huddersfield War Hospital, March 27th, 1919, aged 25 years.

“The shot and shell they passed him by,
Back to his native land to die.”

From Mother, Brothers and Sister

Coalville Times article – Friday April 2nd, 1920

WAR MEMORIAL AT HUGGLESCOTE CHURCH

UNVEILED BY COL. R. E. MARTIN

A tablet which has been placed in Hugglescote Parish Church, to the memory of men from the parish who fell in the war, was unveiled by Lt.-Colonel R. E. Martin, C.M.G., on Saturday afternoon in the presence of a large congregation.

The tablet is of excellent design, in keeping with the handsome edifice, and is of a permanent character, the names of 101 men being inscribed on Swithland slate, set in a frame of Ketton stone, surmounted by a cross and crown encircled in a carved laurel wreath, with similar carvings on either side. The inscription runs as follows:

“Their name liveth for evermore.”

“To the Glory of God, and in imperishable memory of the men of the parish who fell in the great war, 1914 – 1918.”

The names of the men inscribed on the tablet are as follows:-

H. A. Attwood, C. T. Beadman, J. Brooks, W. Baker, J. E. Briggs, H. G. Blackham, J. T. Bishop, J. Barrs, G. Barrs, R. Beadman, E. Bonser, G. Beale, J. G. Bennett, E. S. Boot, W. Berrisford, F. J. Betteridge, F. P. Benistone, J. W. Cawley, F. Chamberlain, J. A. Crookes, R. A. Cross, L. Cross, J. Cox, P. Cliff, J. W. F. Collier, C. Drewett, H. B. Drewett, S. Dodds, A. Elkin, H. C. Elkin, J. Farn, H. Fletcher, H. Finch, L. Finch, G. Firban, G. Gadsby, A. Gamble, S. F. Gamble, W. Gray, W. O. Hoden, O. Hallam, B. Hatter, J. Haywood, W. Hill, F. Hill, J. E. Hibbert, G. Hart, G. H. Highfield, E. Harper, J. W. Harper, H. Hall, J. E. Holmes, J. Jones, W. Jones, F. J. Kirby, I. V. Kelham, H. Lewis, W. Lewis, W. Massey, H. O. Moseley, T. Marriott, G. Martin, J. A. Moult, J. Maunders, J. Moon, I. Mycroft, W. Newbold, O. H. Pratt, J. A. Pegg, F. Pink, E. H. Palmer, W. Riley, A. T. Richardson, W. Rogers, C. Simmons, E. A. Stinchcombe, J. Summers, S. Summers, C. Shilton, G. Slatter, J. Smith, J. C. Shaw, S. Smith, G. Spencer, S. C. Smith, J. W. Setchell, W. Statham, A. G. Tovell, S. T. Timson, J. Tebbatt, F. Whitmore, E. Willett, B. Walker, H. Watson, C. H. Walker, J. Woods, T. Willett, A. Wright, A. Wood, J. Young and W. Young.

As the congregation passed into the church, members of the Hugglescote Church Lads’ Brigade, with the ex-Sergt.-Major W. Hill in charge, lined up on either side of the entrance and two of the Brigade with bowed heads and leaning on reversed rifles, stood by the memorial, covered with the Union Jack.

The service, which was very impressive, was conducted by the Rev. Canon Broughton (vicar) and opened with the hymn, “Stand up for Jesus.” Then followed prayers and collects. Psalm 130, and a lesson read by the Rev. J. C. Wallace, after which the clergy and choir proceeded to the memorial, led by the churchwardens, Messrs. W. E. Canner and J. W. Fletcher.

In unveiling the tablet, Colonel Martin said “To the glory of God and in imperishable memory of the men of this parish who fell in the great war 1914 – 1918, I unveil this tablet, which has been erected by their fellow parishioners in grateful recognition of their self-sacrifice.”

The “Last Post” having been sounded by buglers of the Church Lads’ Brigade, the choir and clergy returned to their places and Colonel Martin gave an address from the chancel steps.

He spoke of the memorable days in August 1914, when the principles on which our national life is based were being assailed, and it was the part of every true man to stand in defence of them. They had tangible proof that the spirit which was then evoked in the nation was the same spirit as that shown by their forefathers who went out to fight country’s enemies. He would never forget the day about the end of August, 1914, when the North Midland Territorial Division, which had been mobilised about three weeks, was told to fill up its ranks for service abroad. It fell to him, among others, to come back into Leicestershire to try and explain to the people what they were up against, and he remembered what a splendid response they gave. In the North Midland Division, between 80 and 90 per cent of the men said they were prepared to go anywhere, though many of them were married men who had never experienced Army service before. Many things have happened since – much self-seeking, a desire to get rich quickly, many apparent inequalities of justice and self-sacrifice – but he was sure they could all take comfort from the fact that there was tangible proof given in those days that the nation was sound at heart and could be trusted to do the right thing when the crisis really arose. And what happened when the armies got overseas and began their real work? He ventured to say that no one had the privilege of serving in a better battalion. The men from that district – Coalville men they always called them – were a splendid lot of men filled with genuine enthusiasm for fitting themselves for the part which they had to play, and who on getting across the water, proved themselves as good as the best. He went on to speak of evidences of practical Christianity displayed by the men, and of deeds of heroism which came to his notice. One instance he recalled was when they were between Hill 60 and Ypres. When the Brigadier realised that he had in the ranks men accustomed to mining, he formed a number of Coalville men into a mining section, whose duty it was to construct projecting galleries in front of the trenches, to find out if the Germans were under-mining. One day a member of the party came across a German mine filled with German explosives in large quantities, and it would have been a very natural thing for him to want to get away from it as soon as possible, but instead of that, he crawled over the top and disconnected the mine and came back and reported it to his commanding officer. This man, whose name was Starbuck, had no thought for his own safety, but first took steps to safeguard his comrades.

Proceeding, Col. Martin said his services came to an end in October, 1915, but he had always felt ever since then that the war had been worth while, if for nothing else than for the fine spirit it brought out, and if the same spirit could be shown in regard to present day problems, it would go a long way towards reaching a solution. He was not one of those who said this country ought to have stood aside and have taken advantage of the trade while other countries were fighting. The people, who said that, he thought, were wrong. He thought that what the people of this country did when they found what they were up against should be an example and pattern to them now. If the war had done nothing else, with all the misery, self-sacrifice and sorrow, he believed they were worth while because they afforded the opportunity which was taken by so many of showing a truly Christian spirit. He believed that experience had not been lost, but would help them to get through present day difficulties with credit to themselves.

The closing hymn was 11, “For all the saints,” and a collection was taken for St. Dunstan’s Hostel for Blind Soldiers and Sailors. As the congregation were leaving the church, Mr F. Baxter (organist) played, “O, rest in the Lord.” Before and after the service, peals were rung with the bells half-muffled.

Research undertaken and submitted (including photograph from Coalville Times) by Andy Murby 19/10/2018