Sapper Smith
Monday 8th February 1915: Just over a week after his death, on 31st January, we have learned that, for the fourth time since the war broke out, the sad news arrived of a Clapham man falling at the Front. The latest soldier to lay down his life for his country is Sapper Frank Smith, eldest son of Mr and Mrs F Smith of Fairfield Cottages, Clapham, and eldest grandchild of Mrs R Smith, who has for so many years kept the "Fox and Hounds" at Clapham Folley. He was also a grandson of Mr Bailey of Park Hill, Ampthill. A comrade who writes to Sapper Smith's parents on February 3rd says: "Dear Mr Smith - I am writing to say how very sorry I am to tell you that your son was killed in Saturday last, while doing his duty. He was the best man in my Section and I am sure everyone in the Company will miss him. I am sure you must have been proud of him as a son, and more so now he had died for his King and country - Yours sincerely A. J. Berry".
"A second letter, from his cousin, William Smith, to his parents, says: "Cousin Frank has been killed by a shot through the head and died instantly; he did not even murmur. We were carrying sandbags at the back of the trenches at the time of his death, walking in single file. I was third, and as soon as I saw him and the next two drop, I dropped. Then I thought I saw a flare go up. I looked, and when I saw how he laid I know in a minute what was the matter. I ran to him but he was quite dead. Poor Frank! Everybody in the Section thought such a lot of him; he was such a nice chap, and the sergeant said he would rather have lost any one man than Frank, because he was a chum of his. We lost an officer on the same night; he was shot through the head too".
Parishioners of Clapham and friends have shown the greatest sympathy with Mr and Mrs Smith and family in their sad trouble. The deceased soldier, who was twenty two years of age, was a member of the Church choir for several years and also a bell-ringer. Very fond of cricket and football, he was always respected by his comrades in sport and was elected captain of the cricket team for two seasons. Kind hearted, yet firm in his manner, he was one of those young men a parish could ill afford to lose. After he had finished his education work at the Modern School, Bedford, he was apprenticed to Messrs Kilpin and Billson, High Street, Bedford(1) and joined the East Anglian Royal Engineers about four years ago, leaving with them for the Front on Christmas Eve. Under the leadership of Mr. R. Shimmans, a muffled peal was rung on Tuesday in honour of their late comrade by the Clapham team of bell-ringers(2).
Source: Bedfordshire Standard 12th February 1915
(1) Wholesale, retail and furnishing ironmongers, electric light and hot water engineers, according to Kelly's Directory for 1914.
(2) He is buried at le Touret Military Cemetery
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