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Private Frank SMITH 46648

1st and 3rd Battalions, Northamptonshire Regiment

Frank Smith 1898-1955
Frank Smith 1898-1955

Frank Smith was born in May 1898 in Spratton and baptised later that month.  He was the son of Reuben Smith, a farm labourer from a long established family in Spratton, and his wife Elizabeth (née Buckby) and brother of John William and Abraham.  The family lived in Smith Street, opposite Home Farm.  All three brothers served in the First World War and sadly, John William was killed in action. After leaving school, Frank worked as a farm labourer and on 3 February 1917 he married Kate York in Brixworth Registry Office. Their daughter Elizabeth Emma was born on 21 June 1917. The couple lived in a small cottage in Spring Gardens on Middle Turn, Spratton, (now Brixworth Road).

Frank was called up into the Army Reserve on 3 November 1916 when he was 18 (and before he married Kate) and he enlisted in the 3rd Northamptonshire Regiment on 17 April 1917 giving his occupation as a farm waggoner.  He was sent overseas with the British Expeditionary Force on 1 July 1917 (a few days after the birth of his daughter). A year later he was badly injured with gun-shot wounds to his arm and shoulder when his battalion was fighting on the front line in the Cambrin area. Frank was discharged from the regiment on 5 March 1919 as no longer fit for service.  He was issued with a Silver War Badge to wear at home to show he had been wounded in the war. Frank was also awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Frank may have died in June 1955 aged 57, but this has not been confirmed.

MORE INFORMATION

Where he lived in Spratton

Genealogy Data

Silver War badge
Silver War badge
Silver War badge
Silver War badge

MEN WHO SERVED

ADNITT
ARCHER
ARTHUR
AUSTIN
BALDERSON
BALDWIN
BATTAMS
BILLING
BLAKESLEY
BLUNDELL
BOWERS
BRANSON
BROWN
BUCKBY
BUSWELL
CAPON
CATTELL
CLARKE
COOK
COOKE
COPSON
CRANE
DICKENS
DICKERSON
DUNKLEY
ELDRED
ELSDALE
ERSKINE
FOWLES
FRANKLIN
FRISBY
GAMMAGE
GIST
GOODEN
GOODWIN
GREEN
HAYTER
HIDER
HIGGS
HOBLEY
HODGE(S)
HODSON
HORNE
HUNT
JOHNSON
JUDD
KENCH
KNIGHT
KNIGHTALL
LEATHERLAND
LEESON
LEONARD
LETTS
LIVESEY
MAINS
MANNING
MANNINGHAM-BULLER
MARTIN
MASON
MIDDLETON (WYKES)
NORMAN
PAGE
PASSEY
PATEMAN
PAYNE
PHEASANT
POWELL
REEVE
RHODES-MOORHOUSE
RICHARDSON
SMITH
SNEDKER
SPEECHLEY
STEVENS
TARPLEY
TARRANT
TAYLOR
THORNTON
TIRRELL
TITE
TREDWELL
TURLAND
VINEY
VOKE
WADHAMS
WARD
WARWICKS
WHATTON
WOOD
WYKES
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