Smith, John George

Age: 33
Date of birth: 1885 (Q1)

Parents: George and Lucy Smith
Wife: Winifred Caroline Smith nee Phipps
Address: Castle Arms Public House, 2 Smith Street, Warwick

Occupation: Publican

John was the only child of George and Lucy Smith. He was born in Birmingham in 1885. In the 1891 census the family was living on the premises of their pub, The Railway Inn, 148 Great Frances Street, Aston, Birmingham.

By the 1901 census George and Lucy had moved to Warwick and were living on the premises of their pub, The Castle Arms, with a domestic servant, Emma Tredwell.   John was living with his cousin Thomas A. Jones and his family at 226 St Andrews Road, Aston. John was working as a clerk at a coal merchants.

In the 1911 census John is living at the pub with his parents, now in their 60s, and both George and John are recorded as licensed victuallers. John’s mother died in 1913 and his father in 1915. They are buried together in Warwick Cemetery and John is commemorated on their grave:

The inscription reads:

In Loving memory of LUCY the beloved wife of GEORGE SMITH who died Feb 24th 1913 aged 71 years.
Also of GEORGE SMITH who died April 8th 1915 aged 65 years.
And their son JOHN GEORGE SMITH (W.Yorks Regt.) died June 26th 1917 at Orange near Marseille France while serving his country aged 32 years

On 3rd January 1916 there was a tram accident which demolished part of the front of the pub. The full story and pictures can be found on the ‘Our Warwickshire’ website by clicking here

John was single at the time of the 1911 census but he went on to marry Winifred Caroline Phipps on 10th September 1914 at Stratford upon Avon.  Their only child, George, was born at Warwick on 21st May 1915.

 

Military Service

Rank & Number: Private, 51172
Regiment/Service: 1st Garrison Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales Own)
Brigade/Division:
Date of death: Tuesday, June 26, 1917
Cause of death/Battle: Died of a cerebral haemmorrhage
Commemorated/Buried: Plot III Row C Grave 26 Mazargues War Cemetery, Marseilles
Awards: British War Medal
Commemorated locally at: St Nicholas Church, Warwick Cemetery

Conscription was not authorised in Britain until 27th January 1916, however by mid-1915 the war was lasting longer than had been anticipated and the British military required more recruits; the Derby Scheme was therefore introduced in Britain in the autumn of 1915 by Herbert Kitchener’s new Director General of Recruiting, Edward Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby, after which it was named.

As a direct result of the introduction of the Derby Scheme, John George Smith chose to voluntarily enlist on the last day of eligibility, 11th December 1915. He attested for the Worcestershire Regiment at Warwick and was allocated the regimental number 35872. At the time of enlistment, he stated he had three years former service in the Warwickshire Yeomanry. The next day, having chosen to defer his service until called at a later date (“Class A”), he was transferred to Section B Army Reserve. He then returned to his peacetime job at the Castle Arms.

It was not until 12th October 1916 that John was called up and mobilised. He was subsequently posted to the 1st (Reserve) Garrison Bn. Worcestershire Regiment, which was stationed at Ryde, a coastal town on the Isle of Wight.

At Ryde, on 6th January 1917 he was charged with the offence of Irregular Conduct, namely being on licensed premises during prohibited hours. His punishment was to forfeit six days pay.

On 24th June 1917 he was transferred to the 1st Garrison Bn. West Yorkshire Regiment and was allocated the new regimental number 51172. His new battalion was stationed in Malta, and it was on this day that he left England to join them. After crossing the English Channel, he commenced a journey by train that would take him to Marseille and embarkation for Malta.

Whilst enroute to Marseille, John fell ill and was taken to a French civilian hospital at Orange, a small town in the Department of Vaucluse, about 70 miles north of Marseille. He died there on 26th June, only two days into his journey, of cerebral haemorrhage (bleeding in the brain). He was 32 years old.

John George Smith was originally buried in Orange Communal Cemetery in one of the two French Military plots. For nearly 35 years he remained the only Commonwealth war grave in the cemetery.

He left effects to the value of £1842 2s. 5d., a considerable sum in those days, to his wife.

On 18th April 1952 his remains were exhumed from Orange Communal Cemetery, and the following day were reburied in Mazargues War Cemetery, Marseille, where more permanent maintenance could be assured. He now lies in .

Contributors

  • Unlocking Warwick Research Group
  • Warwick Advertiser excerpts and Castle Arms story courtesy of Warwickshire County Record Office
  • Military details and some person details courtesy of Darren  (British Medal Forum )

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