Edward 'Ted' Smith
Served with 8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry and taken prisoner of war
Edward Smith was born in June 1894 to Robert and Edith Smith, in Crook, County Durham. On the 1911 census, the family are living in Bouch Street, Bearpark, parents and nine of their children in a three room house. Edward was 16 years old and working as a motor engine driver below ground in a mine.
On 31 March 1914, Edward enlisted into the territorial army for a period of four years, joining 8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. At this time, he was 19 years and 9 months old, living in Logan Street, Langley Park, and working as a miner for the Consett Iron Company.
It was during the annual training camp of 1914, taking place in Conway, Wales, that war was declared. The battalion returned to Durham and began training, first in camp at Ravensworth Castle, then in billets in Gateshead. On 19 April 1915, 8 DLI left Newcastle for Folkestone. From there they sailed to Boulogne and spent the next few days making their way across France and Belgium towards Ypres. All the DLI territorial battalions made this trip within a few days of each other. On 24 April, the battalion marched through Ypres, arriving at their destination of Boetleers Farm in the early hours of the next morning.
Over 25-26 April, 8 DLI was involved in heavy fighting alongside Canadian troops. On 25 April, Edward was taken prisoner of war, along with many others of his battalion. He spent time in camps at Munster (Munster II – Rennbahn), Czersk (Poland), and in March 1918, was at Chemmitz. The prisoner of war records of the International Red Cross also indicate that he had been injured in his right shoulder, however, it is not clear whether this was at the time of his capture, on since being in the camps.
Edwards was repatriated on 24 December 1918, and disembodied from the army on 26 March 1919. In the first quarter of 1920, he married Frances Bertha Thompson. On 21 august 1921, their daughter, Eileen Audrey, was born. On the 1939 register, Edward’s occupation is given as a coal hewer, and he was also volunteering as an Air Raid Warden. Audrey is also working, as a morning girl (domestic servant). Edward died on 21 June 1971, at St Margaret’s Hospital, Durham.
Civil Parish: Esh
Birth date: 26-Jun-1894
Death date: 21-Jun-1971
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: Back Street, Billy Row, Crook
Bouch Street, Bearpark
8 Logan Street, Langley Park
Employment: Miner
Family: Parents: Robert Thomas and Edith Smith
Siblings: William Walter, Sarah Jane, Elizabeth, Harry Ramshaw, Robert Thomas, Mary Edith, Alice Ramshaw, Lily, George Ramshaw
Spouse: Frances Bertha Smith (nee Thompson)
Children: Eileen Audrey
Military service:
2505, 300309
Private, 8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
31-Mar-1914 Enlisted
26-Mar-1919 Disembodied
Medal(s): 14-15 Star
Victory Medal
British War Medal
Electoral Register:
Register No: 1677
Forename: Edward
Surname: Smith
Parliamentary Division: Barnard Castle
Polling District: R - Langley Park
Parish: Esh
Date: October-1918
Reference: October-1918
Gender: Male
Contributed by Doc smith, Wakefield | Durham county Record Office
Comments on this story
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I have read this book and found it good, it as got my cousins in it from Billy row crook to Langley park. I know what it was like to be a miner , having worked in mining for 46 years, my grandad at Langley park worked in the lamproom due to a war injury, my dad was a dataller at Langley park colliery. The book reminded me of what my grandad Hans major Embelton must have done before he went to France and the second battle of Ypres and fits in with what he told me when he was a boy growing up in sacriston and going to war.Mr Derick Smith.
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Doc smith
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