Private John William SMITH (6942)
1st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment 6942
John William was born on 3 August 1896 in Teeton, the son of John Samuel Smith, an agricultural labourer from a long-established family in Spratton, and his wife Sarah Ann, and brother of Alfred, Mabel, Florence and Sarah. By 1901 the family had moved to Spratton and in 1911 when John was 15 he was living in the High street with his widowed mother and siblings and working as an errand boy. Later they moved to the cottages called Spring Gardens on Middle Turn, now the Brixworth Road. Both John and his brother Alfred served in the First World War.
John William enlisted in 1914 aged 18 and was immediately posted to the Western Front with the Northamptonshire Regiment. He served in the battles of Le Cateau, Marne and the Aisne and fought in the retreat from Mons. In October 1914 he was reported missing at La Bassee and was later presumed dead. In April 1915 he was finally officially confirmed as dead. He was 18 years of age and was entitled to the 1914 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
John was one of the first Spratton men to be killed in the war. His name is on the Menin Gate in Ypres but not on the Spratton War Memorial. However, his name has been recorded on the Roll of Honour in St Andrew’s Church, Spratton.
Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium
Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium
The name of J Smith 6942 on the Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium, the memorial to those who have no known grave
The name of J Smith 6942 on the Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium, the memorial to those who have no known grave
EXPLORE SECTIONS
MEN WHO SERVED
- Private Charles Herbert AUSTIN (known as Herbert)
- Corporal Frank AUSTIN
- Lance Corporal James William AUSTIN
- Private John Samuel AUSTIN
- Sergeant William Henry AUSTIN
- Sergeant Bertie Henry BALDERSON
- Corporal Frederick Charles BALDERSON MM
- Lance Corporal Robert Samuel BALDERSON
- Private George William BUCKBY (known as William)
- Private Henry Andrew BUCKBY
- Richard Henry Horne BUCKBY
- Transport Sergeant Thomas BUCKBY MM
- Company Quartermaster Sergeant William Gander BUCKBY
- William Archibald COPSON (known as Archibald)
- Sapper Ebenezer COPSON
- Private Ernest Edward COPSON
- Pioneer Henry Owman COPSON (known as Harry)
- Private James COPSON
- Private John William COPSON
- Private Joseph COPSON
- Private Arthur Sidney GOODEN (known as Sidney)
- Private Hugh Henry GOODEN
- Sergeant Joseph Eric GOODEN (known as Eric)
- Private Arthur Thomas HAYTER
- Driver Frank Leonard HAYTER
- Private Harold Herbert HAYTER
- Lance Corporal John Charles HAYTER DCM (known as Jack)
- Private Walter Ernest HAYTER
- Ordinary Seaman Arthur Charles HORNE
- Private John William HORNE (known as William)
- Lance Corporal Lewis HORNE
- Private Thomas HORNE
- Driver John Henry LEESON
- Corporal Joseph Henry LEESON (known as Harry)
- Thomas Baden Powell LEESON (known as ‘Bard’)
- Private Albert MANNING
- Corporal Amos MANNING
- Private Arthur Cecil MANNING
- Private George MANNING
- Sergeant George William MANNING
- Sapper Henry Stanley MANNING (known as Stanley)
- Private John Thomas MANNING
- Private John William MANNING
- Air Mechanic Nathaniel MANNING
- Driver/Saddler Samuel MANNING
- Gunner George Albert MARTIN
- Private Joseph MARTIN
- Private Thomas Henry MARTIN (known as Harry)
- Private Thomas Walter MARTIN (known as Walter)
- Pioneer Walter Ernest MARTIN
- Sergeant William Higgs MARTIN, DCM
- Private Arthur Walter PAGE
- Private Francis Samuel PAGE (known as Sam)
- Private Frank PAGE
- Private Stephen PAGE
- Lieutenant George REEVE MC MM
- Private Richard Henry REEVE (known as Harry)
- Private Samuel REEVE
- Private Sidney Philip REEVE
- Private Frederick Thomas RICHARDSON
- Private John William RICHARDSON
- Private Percy John Partridge RICHARDSON
- Private Abraham Bert SMITH
- Private Alfred SMITH
- Private Frank SMITH 46648
- Private John Samuel SMITH
- Private John William SMITH (6942)
- Private John William (William John) SMITH (8964)
- Private Charles Walter WADHAMS
- Private John Edward WADHAMS
- Private Thomas Edwin WADHAMS
- Private William WADHAMS