Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John William Smith, a tailor, born in the July quarter of 1861 in Barleythorpe, Rutland (son of William Smith, 1837 and Emma Ellen Walker, 1837) and his wife Emma Smith (nee Burdett, married on the 2nd July 1883 in the Church of St. Peter & St. Paul, Langham), born in the April quarter of 1861 in Barleythorpe and baptised on the 16th June 1861 in the Church of St. Peter & St. Paul, Langham (daughter of William Burdett, 1821-1888 and Jemima Burdett Meadows, 1819-1907). Percy Albert was born on the 2nd November 1890 in Langham and baptised on the 5th May 1895 in the Church of St. Peter & St. Paul, Langham, his siblings were, John William, a schoolboy, born on the 31st October 1885 and baptised on the 5th May 1895 in the Church of St. Peter & St. Paul, Langham, Thomas Edward, a schoolboy, born on the 14th October 1886 and baptised on the 5th May 1895 in the Church of St. Peter & St. Paul, Langham and Sarah Elizabeth Burdett, born on the 5th October 1888 and baptised on the 5th May 1895 in the Church of St. Peter & St. Paul, Langham, all his siblings were born in Langham, in April 1891 the family home was at Burley Road, Langham, Rutland. Percy’s father died aged 32 years, in the October quarter of 1894. In the October quarter of 1898 in the Oakham, Rutland district, Percy’s widowed mother married Arthur Wright. In March 1901 Percy was residing in the family home at Burley Road, Langham, Rutland, together with his step father, Arthur Wright, a domestic groom, born 1873 in Stoke, Northamptonshire, his mother and siblings, Sarah, Verena Jennie, born on the 2nd February 1895 in Langham and baptised as Verena Jeanie on the 5th May 1895 in the Church of St. Peter & St. Paul, Langham and his half-blood sibling, Elsie Louise, born in the July quarter of 1899 in Langham and baptised on the 25th June 1899 in the Church of St. Peter & St. Paul, Langham. In April 1911 Percy was employed as a farm labourer and was residing in the family home at Langham, Rutland together with his step father, a brewery drayman, his mother and siblings Thomas, a house painter and Verena, also his half-blood siblings, Elsie, a schoolgirl and Florence Edith Winifred, born in the January quarter of 1903 in Langham and baptised on the 12th April 1903 in the Church of St. Peter & St. Paul, Langham.
Before the war Percy had been a member of the Leicestershire Constabulary, and was transferred from the headquarters in Leicester to Oadby in August 1914. He enlisted into the army in June 1915, and embarked for France in January 1916, being killed in action on the 11th August of the same year while serving on the Somme. Another of his Police comrades was badly injured at the same time and died the following day. The Oadby Urban Council passed a vote of sympathy with Gunner Smith’s mother, and the Chief Constable Mr Edward Holmes also expressed his condolences with her, and said her son, while in the Police Force, won the respect of all who knew him.
Percy’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 in Leicester into the Regular Army. June 1915.
Joined. At Place and date not known.
Posted. To Royal Artillery. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number L/29117.
Posted. To Royal Field Artillery. Gunner. Date not known.
First entered the theatre of war in France after the 31st December 1915.
Posted. To “D” Battery, 160th Howitzer Brigade. Date not known.
Killed in action. In the Field. 11/8/16.
Buried in Becourt Military Cemetery, Becordel-Becourt, Somme, France. Headstone inscription. “Rest in Peace.”
Awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, Percy nominated his mother, Emma Wright, half-sister Elsie Wright, sister’s Verena and Mrs. Sarah Crook, brother’s John W. and Thomas E. as his legatees.
On the 17th April 1919 Percy’s mother, Emma Wright of Langham, near Oakham, Rutland was awarded a weekly Army Dependant’s Pension of five shillings, commensurate on the 6th November 1918.
On Thursday August 17th, 1916, The Leicester Daily Mercury published the following article on page 4, under the heading. – LEICESTER COUNTY POLICEMAN KILLED. – A report has been received by the Leicestershire County Police that two of their former comrades, ex P.C. Percy A. Smith (Oadby) and P.C. Arthur Prew (Central Office) have been recently killed in action in France. They were in the Royal Field Artillery.
On Saturday August 19th, 1916, The Leicester Mail published the following article on page 3, under the heading. – TWO COUNTY POLICEMEN. – Referring to the loss of two ex-county policemen. Arthur Prew (Ravenstone) and Percy A. Smith (Oadby), ex P.C. George E. Collis (Coleorton), in a letter to Inspector Dobney (Coalville) says they were buried in a dug-out. They were got out as soon as possible, but Prew died shortly afterwards, and Smith subsequently expired from shock. He adds that the battery has sustained a great loss by their death, and it is keenly felt by officers and men alike. They were buried in a cemetery about a mile behind our position, in a beautiful valley between two woods.
On Friday September 1st 1916, The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “DISTRICT WAR ITEMS.” – LANGHAM SOLDIER KILLED. Mrs. Arthur Wright of Langham, has been notified of the death of her son, Gunner Percy Albert Smith, at the age of 35 years. A native of Langham, he left the employ of Mr. W. Watchorn, of Barleythorpe, to join the Leicester County Police Force, and volunteering for active service, he was sent to the front in January last. He was attached to a Howitzer battery. His mother has received many sympathetic letters, one from the chaplain who buried him, which states that deceased was struck by a shell in the body, and died almost immediately. Another letter from the Chief Constable of Leicestershire (Mr. E. Holmes) says: - “During the two years your son was a member of the Force his conduct was excellent. He won the respect of all who knew him, and I was very proud to have him. All his comrades in the Force deeply regret his loss.”
[recognitum XVIII-VII-MMXXIII]

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Photograph of Percy Albert Smith submitted by the Langham Village History Society in 2016