208387 Tpr. Thomas Robyn Smith British Army A Squadron Northamptonshire Yeomanry from:Duston, Northampton (d.30th Oct 1918) Thomas Robyn Smith was my Mothers Uncle and my Grandmothers brother.
My Grandmother used to tell me he was a loving and generous person who was an active Scout leader. I also know that he was a deeply religious man and an artist. My mother has his watercolours, some are illustrations of flowers but one that I know most is an illustration of "Rock of ages".
Tom answered Baden Powell's call to arms for scout leaders to enlist at the outbreak of the First World War. He was 18 years old.
Tom joined the 1st Regiment A Squadron that was raised and based at Cottesbrooke.
October 1914 they were moved to Winchester and placed under orders of 8th Division and on the 4 November 1914 they landed in France. Regimental HQ, A,B and C went to France. I believe that D Squadron remained in the UK as the home reserve, but I cannot confirm that.
Following the battle of Neuve Chapelle, for which the Regiment received battle honours the Regiment was split up in April 1915.
- Regimental HQ and B Squadron: 14 April 1915 placed under orders of 6th Division.
- A Squadron: 13 April 1915 placed under orders of 4th Division.
- C Squadron: 12 April 1915 placed under orders of 5th Division.
A Squadron went with the IV Division to take up positions in St. Julian and Frezenburgh. This would be known as the Second Battle of Ypres. This was the first use of gas on the Western Front by the Germans and took the allies by surprise leading to a breakthrough in the British lines. The Germans could not bring up reinforcements to exploit this and eventually they were beaten back to almost their original starting point. The IV Division was almost wiped out during this battle and after a tour on the Canal Front at Beosinghe they were moved South to Beaumont Hamel, which at that time was a quiet sector, to relieve the French.
On the 9 May 1916 Regimental HQ and B Squadron left IV Division and became VI Corps Cavalry Regiment. They were joined by A and C Squadrons two days later. Contrary to the popular myths about the British Army in 1914-18 it is my belief that it learnt rapidly the realities of war and changed tactics accordingly. Cavalry no longer performed in the traditional method as shock troops other than in isolated incidents. They became mobile troops that theoretically could move into position rapidly to exploit a gap forced by the infantry and then they would fight on foot. Also when kept as a reserve move to plug any gaps created by a counter attack.
A regiment consisted of 549 Officers and Men. GHQ plus three fighting Squadrons numbering 227 each at full compliment. They also included a Machine Gun Section armed with 2 Maxims and later Vickers machine guns.
In May 1917 VI Corps saw action in the Arras offensive with the Northamptonshire Yeomanry involved in the fighting at what is called the Battle of Scarpe. Again achieving battle honours for the Regiment. Arras saw spectacular gains initially but as with the Germans at 2nd Ypres failure to get support quickly enough led to most of those being lost. Although the British Army was mow learning and the use of the rolling barrage and integrated attacks utilising infantry, tanks and artillery could force a breakthrough.
In the Summer of 1917 the Regiment left VI corps, possibly attached to XV Corps.
Then on the 10 November 1917 The Northamptonshire Yeomanry sailed for Italy and became XIV Corps Cavalry Regiment. This move was made to support the Italians who had just suffered a major defeat at the battle of Caporetto against the Austrians, bolstered by Germans and looked likely to fall. They fell back to the Piave River and consolidated their position. The addition of the British XIV Corps, together with French forces prevented any further Austrian and German gains.
On the 18 April 1918 the XIV corps became British GHQ in Italy, so regiment remained attached but were now GHQ rather than Corps troops.
In June 1918 the Italians resoundingly beat the Austrian at the battle of the Piave River but then failed to press home their advantage.
On the 9th October 1918 the XIV Corps reformed and the Northamptonshire Yeomanry joined it, becoming XIV Corps Cavalry Regiment again.
Lord Cavan took command of the Tenth Army in Italy under the Italian General Diaz. This included the XIV corps.
On the 23th October the battle of Vittorio Veneto began with an Italina attack in the mountains. On the 25th the British 10th Army had made resounding successes, capturing Papadopoli Island and establishing a bridgehead over the Piave by the 27th. Together with the Italian 8th Army they pushed the Austrians and Hungarians back to Vittorio Veneto. On the 30th October Vittorio Veneto was taken.
It was on this day that Tom Smith was killed, together with 2 colleagues.
It is believed in the family that Tom was killed by an enemy sniper having detected a potential counter attack and warned the regiment. Although this I have not confirmed.
Thomas Robyn Smith now lies in a war graves cemetary at Vittorio Veneto. My mother and father were the first of the family to visit his grave a few years ago. I still have a magnificent photograph of Thomas on his horse in his full field uniform hanging in my dining room.
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