Thrandeston History Group

William James SMITH (1883 - 1917)

William was born in Hoxne in 1883 to Charles and Elizabeth SMITH. He was 1 of 10 children, 1 of whom died in childhood.

In 1891 William was living at Great Green with his parents and siblings. He was a scholar and his father was an agricultural labourer. In 1891 he was still living at Great Green with his parents and siblings but was now a Stockman on a Farm.

In 1911 William was age 27 and single and still living at the home of his parents in Great Green. He was a Farm Labourer.

It is not known when William enlisted, but it is known that he was serving with the 6th Battalion of the Yorkshire regiment (also known as Yorkshire Hussars, Alexandra, Princess of Wales Own) when he died. He had previously served with the Suffolk regiment. He died on 14 August 1917 in Flanders.

William has a listing on the Commonwealth War Graves site and he is commemorated on the Menin Gate at Ypres.

In Memory Of
Private
WILLIAM JAMES SMITH
Service Number: 33308
6th Bn., Yorkshire Regiment who died on 14 August 1917 Age 34
Son of C. R. and Elizabeth Smith, of Park Lane, Winfarthing, Diss, Norfolk.
Remembered with Honour
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 33.
COMMEMORATED IN PERPETUITY BY THE COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES

Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial (CWGC)

No medal award was found for William, even searching with his service number. The fact that he is recorded on the Menin Gate means that he would have been awarded medals. There were many William James SMITH’s who fought in WW1 and service numbers were not always recorded correctly.