Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Frederick Smith, a framework knitter, born 1851 in Smeeton Westerby, Leicestershire and his wife Caroline Elizabeth Smith (nee Gee, married in the 4th quarter of 1874 in the Leicester district), born 1849 in Whetstone, Leicestershire. Edgar was born in the 2nd quarter of 1890 in Smeeton Westerby, his siblings were, Mary Ann, a hosiery trade worker, born 1875, Edith Emily, a schoolgirl, born 1878, May Elizabeth, a schoolgirl, born 1881, Louisa, a schoolgirl, born 1883, Bertie, a schoolboy, born 1885 and William Frank, born in the 4th quarter of 1887, all his siblings were born in Smeeton Westerby, in April 1891 the family home was at Main Street, Smeeton Westerby. In March 1901 Edgar was residing in the family home at Main Street, Smeeton Westerby, together with his father, a hosiery trade worker, his mother and siblings, Edith Tarry, May, a hosiery trade worker, Louisa, a hosiery trade worker, Bertie, a hosiery trade worker and Frank, a hosiery trade worker, also residing with the family was Edgar’s brother in law, Walter Tarry, a hosiery trade worker, born 1879 in Walton, Leicestershire. In April 1911 Edgar was employed as a grocery assistant and was residing in the family home at Smeeton Westerby together with his father, a hosiery trade worker, his mother and brother William, a hosiery trade worker. Edgar married Gertrude Fanny Johnson on the 4th August 1913 in Kettering Northamptonshire, they resided at Victoria Street, Fleckney, Leicestershire. Edgar’s elder brother William Frank fell in action in 1917.
Edgar enlisted under the Record of Service Paper. (For men deemed to be enlisted in H.M. Regular Forces for General Service with the Colours or in the Reserve for the period of the War, or Ex Soldiers recalled for Service with the Colours, under the provision of the Military Service Acts, 1916) on the 25th January 1917 in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, he gave home address as Victoria Street, Fleckney, Leicestershire, his age as 26 years and 60 days and his trade or calling as grocer’s manager. He confirmed that he was married. He gave his wife Gertrude Fanny Smith of Victoria Street, Fleckney, Leicestershire as his next of kin. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot 7¼ inches in height, weighed 135 pounds and he had a chest measurement of between 33 and 35 inches. His vision was described as 9/9 and it was noted that he had deficient teeth. Edgar was shown to have enlisted on the 25th January 1915 in Market Harborough, and underwent a medical examination on the 15th June 1916 in Leicester, and was shown to have been allocated to the Durham Light Infantry, The Lincolnshire Regiment being crossed though, however no further record can be found for this period of service, if it ever commenced, or due to some reason that was not recorded, he was not in fact accepted, but he appears to have then been recalled for General Service on the 25th January 1917 as described below. His record of service began when he was deemed to have enlisted for General Service on the 25/1/17. Called up for service on the 25/1/17. Relegated to the Army Reserve Section “B.” Mobilised on the 1/3/17. Posted as Private, service number 37383, to the Lincolnshire Regiment on the 1/3/17. Transferred to 42nd Company, Labour Corps, service number 24974 on the 6/3/17. Died of wounds in the field on the 25/3/18. A summary of his service records: Home Service, 25/1/17 – 22/3/17, 57 days. British Expeditionary Force, France, 23/3/17 – 25/3/18, 1 year 3 days. Total service 1 year 60 days. Edgar was awarded the British and Victory medals. The following information was provided by Edgar’s widow Gertrude F. Smith on the 30th July 1919, and was witnessed and signed by Henry Dunsby, Parish Priest, All Saints House, Kettering on ARMY FORM W. 5080 (Information on deceased soldier’s family) Widow of soldier, Gertrude Fanny Smith of Glendon View, Charles Street, Kettering, Northants. Children of soldier, none. Father of soldier, Frederick Smith of Smeeton, Nr. Kibworth, Leicestershire. Mother of soldier, Caroline Elizabeth Smith of Smeeton, Nr. Kibworth, Leicestershire. Full blood brothers of soldier, Bertie Smith, born May 12th 1885 of Latimer Cottages, Kibworth, Leicestershire. Full blood sisters of soldier, Mary Ann Regan, born February 25th 1875 of White Street, Kibworth, Leicestershire, Edith Emily Tarry, born November 15th 1878 of Saddington, Nr. Kibworth, Leicestershire, Mary Elizabeth Freer, born January 17th 1877 of Dover Street, Kibworth, Leicestershire and Louisa Broadwell, born February 7th 1882 of High Street, Kibworth, Leicestershire. On the 26th March 1920 Edgar’s wife, Mrs. G. F. Smith, of Glendon View, Charles Street, Kettering, Northamptonshire, received from the Labour Corps Record Office in Nottingham, the Scroll of Honour awarded to her late husband. Edgar’s surviving service documents are in a very poor condition, and much of the finer detail relating to the period of time that he spent in the Army, is either illegible or missing, hence the sparse overall description of his military and personal family history.