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Auction: 19001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 466

Pair: Private H. W. Smith, 1/4th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment, who was killed in action in the Second Battle of Gaza in April 1917

British War and Victory Medals (200320 Pte. H. W. Smith, North'n. R.), together with the recipient's Memorial Plaque 1914-18 (Herbert William Smith), extremely fine (3)

Herbert William Smith first entered a theatre of war in 1916, or later, and was killed in action at the Second Battle of Gaza on 19 April 1917.

During the devastating attack against a ridge which overlooked the Gaza-Beersheba Road, nearly two miles from the assembly position, the Battalion was brought to a halt and pinned down until mid-afternoon. When the 5th Battalion, Bedford Regiment was sent up, the following message was noted:

'Communication was established by telephone with Colonel John Brown, commanding the Northamptons and information was asked for as to his position. He replied that he had no position, save for a line of dead men; and that he thought the best thing for the 5th Bedford's to do was to come to him along the telephone line, as this was their only hope of finding him in the open plain' (The History of 1/5th Bedfordshire Regiment, refers).

Aged 20, Herbert was the son of Frederick William and Mary Ellen Smith of 27 Leicester Street, Northampton. His name is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial; his MIC confirms his additional entitlement to the Territorial Force War Medal.


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Sold for
£110