Private. 6th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment. Service No: 14315842.
Early life:
John’s parents were Robert Bertie Smith and Lena Smith née Stancliffe, who had been married in Keighley in the second quarter of 1923, when Robert was aged 41 and Lena was aged 28. Robert had been a fettler for Darling and Sellers machine tool works on Lawkholme lane in Keighley during the 1921 census. Lena was a woollen weaver for Johnson and Kinnear on Marley Street in Keighley in 1921.
John was born in Keighley, registered here in the second quarter of 1924.
His father Robert died aged 54 and his death was registered at Keighley in the last quarter of 1936.
Lena is recorded in the Electoral rolls for Far Low Bank between and 1945.
John is absent from all civil records, even the 1939 Register, but Lena was living at Far Low Bank in Oakworth in that year, which was probably John’s home address at least, assuming he was already serving in the Army, and it would explain why he is named on the Oakworth WW2 memorial.
War service:
John was killed in action on the 26th of July 1944 and is buried at Ranville War Cemetery. Ranville was the first French village liberated after D-Day in early June 1944 and John was serving with the 6th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment when he was killed in action about seven weeks after D-Day. In the weeks leading up to his death on 26th July John would have taken part in Operation Martlet. This protracted conflict took it’s toll on the 6th Battalion which had terrible losses in this period of officers and men. In early August the remaining men of the 6th Battalion were drafted into the 7th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment and the 6th Battalion was disbanded.
He was initially buried in the church grounds of St. Honorine du Chardonnerette. On 18th July 1945 his grave, along with several others, was moved about two miles to Ranville War Cemetery. He is in grave 24 of row D in section 1. This harrowing work was carried out by ‘J’ Section of no. 48 Graves Concentration Unit.
Remembrance:
John is named on the Oakworth War Memorial in Holden Park but he is not named on the Keighley Roll of Honour plaque in Keighley Library.
Post war:
Lena married Alfred Rushton in Keighley in the last quarter of 1955.
She died aged 71 with her death registered in the Worth Valley.
Alfred died aged about 75 in the first quarter of 1980, registered in the Worth Valley.
Information sources:
1901 England Census.
1911 England Census.
1921 Census Of England & Wales.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007.
England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Oakworth Second World War Memorial Garden.
UK, World War II Army Casualty Lists, 1939-1945.
UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945.
West Yorkshire, England, Electoral Registers, 1840-1962.
1939 England and Wales Register.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007.
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995.
