Walter Osborne Smith
The Soldier:
Walter Osborne Smith enlisted in to the army in Kings Lynn, Norfolk. He was assigned to the Essex Regiment and given regimental number 28675.
Walter’s enlistment papers recorded his place of birth as Hornchurch, Essex and his home address at the time as Middleton, Kings Lynn.
He was ‘killed in action’ on the 9th April 1917, aged 29, whilst serving as a Private in the 9th Battalion of the Essex Regiment.
Walter Osborne Smith is buried in Grave II. J. 10 of the Feuchy Chapel British Cemetery, Wancourt, Pas de Calais, France.
Walter’s name is also inscribed on Snettisham’s war memorial in the village square. Uniquely, it does not currently appear on the memorial in St. Mary’s Church, Snettisham nor the village’s ‘Roll of Honour’ housed in the Royal British Legion Hall having been deliberately omitted at the time of their creation as, the story goes, there is a suggestion his family were reluctant to believe that Walter was not returning home. His name was only added to the main memorial in 2014 when it was rededicated to mark the 100th anniversary of the commencement of the war.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records W O Smith, 28675, 9th Battalion of the Essex Regiment, who died on the 9th April 1917 next of kin as; parents- William and Elizabeth Smith of the Beeches, Fring, Norfolk and his wife as Clara Esthee Smith (NB. really Clara/Louisa Esther or Esther or Clara/Louisa Smith) of Lancaster Terrace, Snettisham clearly linking this W.O Smith with the village and our Smith family.
The man:
Walter Osborne Smith was born in December 1887 in Hornchurch, Essex in December 1887. His parents were William and Elizabeth Emma Smith (nee Digby) who had married on the 27th August, 1885 in the Church of St. Botoloph the Without, Bishopsgate, London.
He had one older sibling; William Jasper Smith who had been born in June 1886 in Romford, Essex.
By the 1891 census, the Smith’s were living at an address in Hornchurch, Essex. William and Elizabeth were now 26 and William was employed as a ‘dog trainer’. William Jasper was 5 and Walter 3. They had been joined by a younger sister Maud A Smith who was just 3 months old.
By the 1901 census the family had moved some way North to Appleton, Yorkshire (there are numerous points of linkage to confirm this). William and Elizabeth are now 36. William is still employed as a ‘Hound trainer’. William Jasper is now 15 and employed as a ‘stable/garden labourer’. Walter O is now 13 and Maud A, 10. They have been joined by younger siblings; Albert, 8 (born on the 24th March,1893) and Violet Victoria, 3 (who was born on the 7th April 1898). both these younger children were also born in Hornchurch, Essex.
By the 1911 census, the family had moved. William at 47 had become the Landlord of the ‘woodman’ pub in Burneston Bedale, Yorkshire. Elizabeth, Walter (now 24), Albert (now 18) and Violet (now 14) were still at home, but William Jasper and Maud A had left.
Walter was recorded as being ‘single’ and working as a carpenter. Albert was working as a Footman – this links with his later duties in the army and employment post-war.
We know that sometime shortly afterwards William Osborne Smith moved to Norfolk, either on his own or with his parents and other members of family, as on the 6th August 1912 he married Esther Louise Large in Walpole-St-Andrew, Norfolk. There are several recorded variations of Esther’s given names but these are consistent with Esther/Clara and Louisa in differing order.
Records show that Esther/Claira/Louisa was born on 3rd July 1886 in Walpole-St-Andrew, Norfolk (the place where she and Walter later married). In the 1901 and 1911 census she is living in Sedgeford, Norfolk a village adjacent to both Snettisham and Fring.
Walter and Esther (Clara/Louisa) have one child Elizabeth S Smith born in January 1912.
Following his death, military records Private Walter Osborne Smith’s personal effects as going to wife ‘Esther L (possibly Esther ‘C’ as ambiguous handwriting).
The register of probate for England and Wales lists Walter Osborne Smith, dying on the 6th April 1916 as leaving £280 10 shillings and 10d. to his wife, Esther Louisa Smith. It lists Walter’s address as ‘The kennels, Middleton’.
Claira Esther Large, Walter’s widow, went on to re-marry Sydney Stapleton in Freebridge Lynn, Norfolk in 1918. She died in 1960 at the age of 74.
Walter’s parents William and Elizabeth lived in to old age, residing with their daughter Violet (who had married and taken the name Spinks) in Downham, Norfolk. Elizabeth died in 1939, aged 74 and William died in 1948, aged 83.
Walter’s brother William Jasper survived the war and led an interesting life. He followed his father’s profession of ‘dog training’ (greyhounds). In 1913 he lived in Russia working for the Grand Duke Nickolas. He had two daughters and one son with Maria Ashmanoff. He died in 1970 at the age of 84.
Walter’s sister Maud A, married and became Maud A Dixon. She died in June 1968 in Manchester, Lancashire.
Walters younger brother Albert also served his country during the war enlisting in the Royal Army Medical Corps. Here as a Private he served as the batman to Lt. Col. JW Walters, 21 CCS RAMC.
Albert survived the war and went on to marry Martha Muir Fleming. They had three children evelyn O, Margaret Moir and Walter Bill. Recorded Smith family research shows Albert living at the Beaches, Fring address and working as a domestic valet in 1919, giving support to the CWWG listing of this address for Walter’s parents about this time.
Photographs (from top): William Smith – Walter’s father, Elizabeth Emma Smith (Digby) – Walter’s mother, Albert – Walter’s younger brother with his wife Marth Muir Fleming proudly in his RAMC uniform, Albert and Martha together and a studio portrait of Martha. final pcture is of Walter’s brother William Jasper.
with significant thanks to Caroline Griffiths and others on Ancestry.com for the work they have done on Walter’s story and family.
