Military Chat

Hi. I'm looking for help/info about the person above. The only clue I have is that Private W J Smith ... had a ceremonial funeral in Gibraltar in 1915. Any pointers would be appreciated. Thank you :)

Do you know his first name? How do you know about his funeral?

I can't find a record of someone of that name on the Commonwealth War Graves site in Gibralter.

Kath. x

Actually... the funeral is the subject of discussion on a Gibraltar forum at present. There is an old sepia photo of the funeral and military cortege... and the only information that goes with it .. is that it's a Private W J Smith. Thanks for repying :)

"The British Military Hospital Gibraltar opened c. 1903 to provide medical care for local sailors and British military personnel in Gibraltar.[1][2][3] It was located on Europa Road in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar at the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula.[4][5] It included three three-story buildings, with a capacity of about three hundred beds.[3][4] The light blue colour of its exterior gave the hospital its nickname, the Wedgwood Castle.[1][4] Visitors to the hospital included Queen Alexandra in 1905 and King George V in 1912.[6]

During 1915 there was a continuous stream of Australian, British and New Zealander wounded who arrived in Gibraltar, via hospital ship, from Gallipoli. Many of the wounded were carried on stretchers onto the Rock by the Gibraltar Volunteer corps but there were far too many to fit in the hospital. Satellite hospitals were created as the only other choice was a long sea voyage"

I can find a W F Smith, but not a W J Smith:

SMITH, W F

Rank: Private
Service No: 6398
Date of Death:15/11/1915
Age: 20
Regiment/Service: Royal Army Medical Corps 28th Coy
Grave Reference: C. 3181.
Cemetery: GIBRALTAR (NORTH FRONT) CEMETERY

Additional Information: Son of Joseph R. Smith, of 42, Cleveland St., Euston Rd., London. Born at Battersea, London.

The engraving on his headstone was "Ever in our thoughts"

The only other information I have to go on... is that the funeral was 12th November 1915. Thanks for the look up Kath. Very much appreciated xxx

Guess that counts my W F Smith out, as he died 3 days after the funeral date you give.

Thank you everyone for all your help :) Apparently he died from dysentry and was a Private in the Royal Army Medical Corps.

Lynne, I would seriously suggest doing some checking of the source information that you have - a few mis-transcriptions in initials and dates do happen.

This is the UK Register of Soldiers Effects for the CWGC entry that Kucinta posted:

Name: William Frank Smith
Gender: Male
Death Date: 15 Nov 1915
Death Place: Gibraltar
Rank: Private
Regiment: Royal Army Medical Corps
Regimental Number: 6498

Father Joseph R received his back pay and gratuity totalling £19 10s 11d.

It is the only Smith death in Gibraltar in that timescale.

And the UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 entry

Name: William Frank Smith
Birth Place: Battersea, London
Death Date: 15 Nov 1915
Death Place: Gibraltar
Enlistment Place: London
Rank: Private
Regiment: Royal Army Medical Corps
Regimental Number: 6498
Type of Casualty: Died
Theatre of War: Other areas

Note it gives Type of Casualty as "Died". This denotes a cause of death other than that caused by hostilities - e.g. illness.

Thank you so much MarieCeleste. I have a feeling you could be right...and am truly grateful for your research on this topic :)

Thanks for the extra evidence and support for my W F Smith, Marie Celeste :-)

It did seem just a tad coincidental that two W Smiths would die within a few days of each other in Nov 1915 in Gibralter....

His baptism:

Name: William Frank Smith
Record Type: Baptism
Baptism Date: 31 May 1895
Father's name: Joseph Richard Smith
Mother's name: Elizabeth Smith
Parish or Poor Law Union: Battersea St Mary
Borough: Wandsworth
Register Type: Parish Registers

Born Ap 27 95. Address 63 Plough Row . Father a french polisher