William SMITH (2)

23 February 1917

BARNOLDSWICK – KILLED DURING A RAID ON ENEMY LINES

News came to hand on Tuesday that another Barnoldswick soldier, Private David Walling, of the Tyneside Scottish (Northumberland Fusiliers) had been killed in France on Sunday, the 11th inst. The deceased was 26, married, and one of three soldier sons of Mr. and Mrs. Francis Walling, 20, Clifford Street, Barnoldswick. Before joining the Army he was employed as a weaver at Mr. W. Horsfield’s Barnsey Shed. In a letter to Mrs. Walling (widow) Pte. W. Smith, a Barnoldswick comrade in the same battalion writes:– “Your husband went out on a raid into the German lines, and was hit by a bomb. I had my tea with him before we went over, and we arranged to look after each other’s things in case we didn’t get back. His other mates send you their deepest sympathy. You don’t realise the effect it has had upon us, as he was well liked by all the boys.”

Pte. Walling had been in France eight months.

25 May 1917

SMITH – May 5th, died from gas poisoning in France, Pte. William Smith, Northumberland Fusiliers, aged 25 years.

Somewhere in France, in a soldier’s grave
Lies the one I loved, amongst the brave;
Oh God, how mysterious and strange are Thy ways,
To take him away in the best of his days.

From his loving wife, 9 Colin Street, Barnoldswick.

A lonely grave in France, where a brave young hero sleeps;
There’s a cottage home in England where a mother sits and weeps;
It is only a mother that knows the pain
Of losing her son she loved so dearly,
And knows that she will never see him again.

From his mother, 8, Calder Street, Colne.

25 May 1917

BARNOLDSWICK – SOLDIER FATALLY GASSED

Confirmation has been received this week of the death (unofficially reported a fortnight ago) of Pte. William Smith, Northumberland Fusiliers, which took place at No. 2 Canadian Stationary Hospital, France, on May 5th, from gas poisoning. Deceased, who was 25 years of age, was a married man with two children, his wife residing at 9, Colin Street, Barnoldswick. He had been out in France about ten months. Prior to joining the Army he was employed in the Co-operative Society’s central grocery store, Manchester Road. The first news of the sad event was a letter received by deceased’s mother (who now resides at Colne) from the Chaplain of the above named hospital, dated May 5th:– “Dear Madam, – This afternoon (Sunday) about 5 o’clock your dear son Willie quickly passed away. He had been gassed by the enemy and came to the hospital in a critical condition. I told him I would write to you immediately, and he asked me to send his love. He was absolutely fearless in the presence of Death and held firmly to his faith in God.

“Your dear son has faithfully discharged his duty as a true soldier in this great struggle for liberty and truth, and you may cherish the solemn satisfaction that he surrendered his life, like the Master, in order that others might be saved.

“Yours most faithfully, F. S. PORTER (Chaplain).”

01 June 1917

A BARNOLDSWICK MAN KILLED BY GAS

We reproduce a photograph of Pte. William Smith, Northumberland Fusiliers, who, as reported in last week’s ‘Herald,’ died from gas poisoning on May 5th in No. 2 Canadian Stationary Hospital, France. Deceased, who was 25 years of age, was a married man with two children, and his wife resides at 9, Colin Street, Barnoldswick. Before joining the Army he was employed in the Co-operative Society’s grocery store, Manchester Road.