Current Information:

Age-27

269, Lewisham High Road

Born-Deptford

First Battle of Ypres

Between 21st October and 22nd November, 1914 a desperate fight took place around the Belgium city of Ypres, the first of three major battles that were to be fought there during the course of the war. British troops entered Ypres in October. The 1st and 2nd Divisions plus the 3rd Cavalry Division had made their way up from the Aisne as part of the “Race to the Sea”, whilst the 7th Division came west to Ypres after Antwerp had fallen. The Germans knew that Ypres was the gateway to the Channel ports and that these were vital to Britain’s war effort so they poured reinforcements into the area. The fighting fell into three distinct battles; the Battle of Langemarck, 21-24 October, the Battle of Gheluvelt, 29-31 October and the Battle of Nonne Bosschen, 11 November. Ypres did not fall to the Germans but its defence during these two months resulted in the destruction of much of the old regular British Army.

After the desperate defence of Gheluvelt many British battalions were not only extremely under strength but also disorganised and out of touch with their brigade HQs. But the enemy kept pressing and there was still a lot of fighting to do. For the first week of November the 1st Loyal North Lancashire of 2 Brigade, 1st Division were either in a wood near Hooge or in trenches at Veldhoek. On 6th November, the day on which Frederick Smith was killed, they moved from Veldhoek to Hooge in the morning and then back to the trenches in the evening.