1885 - 1916
CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916
Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916
Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916
Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918
Pte 15568 George Smith
- Age: 27
- From: Liverpool
- Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
- K.I.A Thursday 22nd February 1917
- Commemorated at: Agny New Military Cem
Panel Ref: F.12
George was born in Liverpool on the 11th March 1889 the son of James Smith and his wife Agnes (née Cain) who had married in 1868, the marriage was registered in West Derby. James was born in Liverpool whilst Agnes was born in Manchester. George was baptised on the 31st March 1889 at St Bartholomew's Church, Liverpool. His siblings were; Sarah, Edward, Mary Jane, Margaret, Deborah, James, Martha and William.
The 1891 Census shows the family living at 15 Carruthers Street. George's, father, is aged 45, employed as a labourer, his mother, Agnes, is aged 40. They have six children declared in the household; Sarah Agnes, is aged 18, and is a servant, Mary Jane, is aged 12, Deborah, is aged 10, James, is aged 6, Martha, is aged 4, and George is aged 2.
By the time of the 1901 Census the family are living at 115 Molyneux Road, Kensington. His father, James, is aged 53, a porter for a druggist, his mother, Agnes, is aged 50. There are fopur children declared in the household; they are Mary Jane, aged 23, and is a printers machinist, James, is aged 16, a printers machine feeder, Martha, is aged 14, George, is aged 12 and William is aged 9.
George was educated at the Collegiate school in Everton.
His mother died, aged 52, in 1903.
Her death was reported in the Liverpool Evening Express on Tuesday 22nd September 1903:
SMITH - Sept. 18, after a long and protracted illness borne with Christian patience, of cerebral haemorrhage, Agnes Smith, the beloved wife of James Smith, of 115, Molyneux-road, Kensington. (Silently mourned.)
Her death was also featured in the Liverpool Evening Express on Saturday 26th September 1903:
SMITH - Sept. 18, after sixteen months of severe illness, at Rainhill Asylum, Agnes Smith, daughter of the late Joseph and Sarah Cain, late of Blackstock-street, Vauxhall Road. Was interred at West Derby Cemetery, Sept 23rd, from 115, Molyneux-road. (Mourned by her sorrowing sisters. R.I.P.).
His father died, aged 55, in 1904.
In 1911 George and his sister Deborah are living at 118 Holt Road, Liverpool with their sister Mary Jane, her husband Edward McCann and their two children. George is now 22 years of age, single and working as a stock clerk in the Provisions trade.
George enlisted in Liverpool joining the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 15568.
He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He arrived in France on 7th November 1915.
The details surrounding George's death are dealt with in detail in Graham Maddocks' book The Liverpool Pals.
George having survived the Somme Battles of 1916 was sadly killed when he was accidentally shot by one of his own Pals, Private 49005 W Houghton on 22nd February 1917 aged 27. Private Houghton was immediately put under arrest and subjected to a Court Martial on 02nd March 1917 charged with "Neglect to the prejudice of good order and military discipline in that he had negligently discharged his rifle, thereby mortally wounding a comrade". He was found guilty and sentenced to 112 days imprisonment. This was later commuted to 90 days Field Punishment No.1.
George now rests at Agny New Military Cemetery, France.
Agny Military Cemetery was begun by French troops, and used by Commonwealth units and field ambulances from March 1916 to June 1917. Two further burials were made in April 1918, and in 1923-24, 137 graves were brought in from the battlefields east of Arras. The 40 French graves have been removed. Agny Military Cemetery contains 408 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, 118 of them unidentified, and five German graves. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.
SDGW shows his death as killed in action but his family at home must have been aware of the circumstances of his death as notices in the press show and his sister Mary McCann placed an inscription on the family headstone at Toxteth Park Cemetery which states
" Accidentally killed in the trenches".
George's death is reported in the Liverpool Echo on 7th, 8th and 9th March 1917. The same notice is on all dates:
KILLED IN ACTION - Feb 22 accidentally killed in the trenches, France. Private George Smith, KLR, son of the late James and Agnes Smith of this city. Duty nobly done. Mrs Edward McCann – 1 Liscard Road, Wavertree.
His Soldiers Effects, Army Pay of £7 11s 2d and £11 War Gratuity was shared by siblings William, James, Martha Anderson, Deborah and Edward McCann. The Pension card shows no award.
George is commemorated on the Memorial at the Collegiate School in Everton.
We currently have no further information on George Smith, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.