|
 19648 7th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Arthur Smith was born in Sudbury around 1892, one of five children of Arthur Harry and Emily Jane Smith. His father was a bootmaker and the family lived at 10 Market Hill. After his father’s death in 1904 the family moved to 16 Newmans Road.
Arthur was employed as a clerk at Mauldon’s White Horse Brewery. In July 1916 he applied to the Sudbury Tribunal ‘For 6 weeks to make the necessary arrangements before departure’ (for military service), this was granted. Arthur enlisted in Whitehall in London, this must have been around the same time his widowed mother received a telegram informing her of his younger brother Gilbert’s death in France on 18 August 1916. Gilbert is also remembered on the Sudbury War Memorial.
Arthur enlisted and served with the Suffolk Regiment, his battalion formed part of 35th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. On 21 March 1918 the Germans launched their Spring Offensive. Operation Michael was a vast attack along the whole Somme sector front with the aim to destroy the British Army. The Division was rushed to the Albert Sector on the morning of 26 March to defend the Albert bridge-heads. The battalion had their back to the walls attempting to stem the overwhelming numbers of the advancing enemy without artillery support, bombs, rifle grenades or trench mortars. The severity of the fighting resulted in 256 casualties of which Arthur was one.
Arthur was killed in action on 27 March 1918 aged 26. There is no known grave and he is remembered on the Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France. Arthur was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
He was a member of the Sudbury Conservative Club and his name was recorded on their Roll of Honour.
A Cross of Remembrance was laid close to his name on the Pozieres Memorial in April 2006 and October 2014
Back to Roll of Honour
|
