Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Montreuil-Aux-Lions British Cemetery | ||
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.135 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 12B GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Family :
Son of J. H. and Mrs. Smith, of Cobthorne, Oundle, Peterborough, Northants.Education & Career :
He was born on the 30th September 1889 and educated at Eton and Trinity College Cambridge.
He was fond of all field sports and games, and was a good cricketer and golfer.
Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 2/Manchester Regiment |
2nd Battalion August 1914 : at the Curragh. Part of 14th Brigade in 5th Division. 17 August 1914 ; landed at Le Havre. 30 December 1915 : moved with the Brigade to 32nd Division. 6 February 1918 : transferred to 96th Brigade in same Division |
| Action : The Battle of the Marne 1914 |
7 - 10 September 1914. The pivotal moment of the Great War that reversed the German advance. The BEF had been in constant retreat since its initial encounter with the Germans at Mons on 23rd August 1914, usually marching over 20 miles each day. Eventually it became clear that the German pursuit was losing focus as it struggled to maintain momentum and an opportunity was spotted (with the help of the innovative use of aircraft) to hit the German flank as it passed by Paris. The shock of the attack by the French 6th Army coupled with the stand on the River Marne, created the conditions for self doubt in the German High Command and the order to disengage and retreat was given.
Gazette:
The Manchester Regiment, Second Lieutenant. John Herbert Michael Smith,
from 3rd Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment,, to be Second Lieutenant.
Dated 27th September, 1913.
Detail :
The war diaries it says that he and 2nd Lt Arthur Grant Bourne Chittenden both were killed on the 9th of September 1914. Captain Foord was wounded and after being left on the battlefield all night he was recovered and taken to hospital
the next day.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Chicheley No. 607 E.C. | Northampton & Huntingdon |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
19th September 1910 | 16th January 1911 | 13th February 1911 |
He was initiated into Freemasonry whilst still an undergraduate.
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