241895 Pte. Lawrence Smart British Army 2nd Btn. Royal Scots Fusiliers from:Glasgow (d.30th July 1916) My mother, a niece of Lawrence Smart, died two years ago aged almost 105, the last person to have known him. Her memory of him was clear, as was her memory of the distress to his widowed mother and five siblings at his loss.
Until three years ago, the only information the family had was that he was killed in action. Thanks to Forces War records I found out where he is buried, the date of his death and the details of the battle at Guillemont in which he was killed, aged 26. This meant a great deal to my mother, even after nearly a century and, before she died, I visited his grave on her behalf.
She remembered him packing a kitbag before returning to France and wrapping puttees over his trousers. She asked him what they were for. He laughed and said it was to stop the rats running up his legs. Until near the end of her life she thought he was just joking with a little girl. Sadly, there is no photo of him, only her description.
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