Richard Smith. Died 3 July 1916
Richard was born in 1890 to father Tom and mother Ellen in Wokingham Berkshire. He was the fourth born and had four siblings, three brothers and a sister, Kate. By the age of twenty he had become a horseman on Keephatch Farm and his father was the farm bailiff. His parents lived at the cottage in Keephatch farm from at least 1891 until 1911, but had moved to 30 Langborough Road by the time of Richard’s death.
Richard joined the Royal Berks early in the war around late 1914. Local military historian John Chapman tells us: The 5th were the first of the new Royal Berkshire battalions to be formed after Kitchener’s appeal for 100,000 volunteers. Lt Col Foley was given the task of forming the new unit. After a few days at Brock Barracks the new recruits were moved to Shorncliffe on 15th August with six regular officers. and a few regular NCOs. Training began immediately although there was a severe shortage of equipment. They moved to Folkestone on 2nd January 1915 and on 23rd Feb to Aldershot to join the rest of their new Division. They were now part of 35th Brigade, 12th Division. They moved to France on Sunday 30th May.
They retired to Reserve and Christmas was spent at Béthune. The next few months were spent either in the trenches or training for the ‘big push’ They were transferred to III Corps on 16th June 1916 and made their debut at the Somme on 3rd July at Ovillers fighting over grouned strewed with the bodies of men from the 2nd Battalion. This engagement won them 6 MCs, 6 DCMs, and 17 MMs but the Battalion was reduced to 340 men’.
The 3rd was also the day Richard was killed. This engagement won the Battalion 6 MCs, 6 DCMs, and 17 MMs but was reduced to 340 men from a strength of over 900.
Name: SMITH, RICHARD
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Royal Berkshire Regiment
Unit Text: 5th Battalion.
Age: 26
Date of Death: 03/07/1916
Service No: 11010
Additional information: Son of Thomas and Ellen Smith, of 30, Langborough Rd., Wokingham, Berks.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Pier and Face 11 D.
Memorial: THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Keephatch Farm (parents) 1911
30 Langborough Road Wokingham (parents) at time of death.