218071 Pte. John Edward Smith MM.British Army 1st Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers from:Warrington (d.23rd Apr 1917) John Edward Smith was born in Ballymacarrett, Belfast, County Down, he was a Sergeant in the 7th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and got injured on the Somme Guillemont - Ginchy. Rumor has it that he didn't want to leave his mates and was determined to keep fighting and ended up as a Private in the 1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. (I'd like to know if this is true).
He was killed in action at Monchy-le-Preux and the Commonwealth War grave record shows him as Private in 1st Btn at time of death. He is remembered on the Arras Memorial, husband of Esther Smith, of 115, Mersey St., Warrington.
His Medal Card records him as a Sergeant in Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers but no mention of Military Medal or Battalion in which serving. He was entitled to the War and Victory Medals, which places him in France from 1916 onwards as ther is no 1914 or 1915 Star. That could still be either Battalion as 1st Bn was in France (29th Division) from 18th March 1916 and 7th Bn was in France (16th (Irish)Division from February 1916. If he was wounded at Guilemont/Givinchy then that was with the 16th Division and would indeed be the 7th Battalion. So the story could be true but needs further investigation.
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