Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Tower Hill Memorial | London | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.135 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 31B GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Family :
Son of Walter George and Ruth Smith of Eastney, Portsmouth, Hampshire. Husband of Evelyn Matilda Smith of 5, Smith’s View, Cottage Grove, Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire.Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: HMY Aries |
| Action : Naval Campaign |
Naval Campaign is defined as to include all sea operations where attrition rates are in ones and twos and which do not fall within specific naval battles such as Jutland, Coronel, Falklands etc. This includes Merchant Navy losses.
Detail :
Steward George Smith, Mercantile Marine Reserve H.M. Yacht Aries, mined and sunk in Dover Straits, 31st October, 1915.
"...Shortly after the Duke was transferred to another command however, the yacht Aries, was on patrol in the vicinity of the South Goodwin Lightship. She saw the “S.S. Toward”, of the Clyde Shipping Company blown up, and proceeded to her assistance with three divisions of drifters who were coming off patrol. Lieutenant-Commander Caulder, in charge of the Aries had ordered the trawlers to take the survivors of the “Toward” to Dover, the three divisions of drifter returning to harbour.
Observing what he believed to be an enemy mine inshore of him, he steamed towards it to destroy it. In so doing, he must have bumped another mine somewhere under the bridge, which caused the vessel to break in two, and to sink in about a minute. The commanding officer, four officers and seventeen men were drowned; one officer and four men were saved two of the latter having broken ribs. The mines had been laid by the German Submarine UC-6, under command of Matthias Graf von Schmettow."
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Prince Edward No. 1903 E.C. | Hampshire & IOW |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
18th June 1901 | 17th December 1901 | 21st January 1902 |
At the occasion of his initiation in 1901, George is listed as a 26 year old "Std" (Steward) resident at 16 St. Edward's Terrace, Eastney. The 1921 book describes him further as a Yacht Steward. The contribution register shows that he "Drowned 1.11.15," following one year of war service.
The Lodge changed its name under Rule 210 on 10th December, 1917 as a direct result of the War from Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar, to Prince Edward Lodge.
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley