263135 Pte. Walter Smith British Army 9th Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers from:Wallsend Walter Smith was my Grandfather.
He was a miner and enlisted 9th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers on the 2nd of September 1914 in Wallsend.
According to his service book, he was aged 21 years and 4 months, height was 5ft 4½ inches. Described as having a fresh complexion, grey eyes, with brown hair.
The 9th (Northumberland Hussars) Battalion was formed at Newcastle in as part of Kitchener's Second New Army, and was assigned to the 52nd Brigade, 17th (Northern) Division at Wareham.
In July 1915 it moved to the Western Front where it was to remain until the end of the war.
It took part in battles with 17th Division, Battle of the Somme (1916) July 1916 Battle of Albert and August 1916 Delville Wood,
2nd to 5th of July 1916 at Fricourt
Walter took part in the battle for Mametz Wood after rejoining the Battalion from being caught in a gas attack earlier. The British Artillery began firing to cut the barbed wire defences in front of Mametz Wood. At 3pm on 3rd July, patrols were reporting that Mametz Wood was empty of German troops. This was not entirely true. 2nd Royal Irish Regiment and 1st Royal Welsh Fusiliers of 7th Division's 22nd Brigade were ordered up to occupy a line on the southern edge of the wood, along with the 9th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers but it was not until dawn on 4th of July 1916 that they were fully in position. During the night, a detachment of 55th Landwehr was discovered in the wood by a patrol of the 2nd Royal Irish Regiment and driven off.
On 4th of July it began to rain. In front of Mametz Wood lay trench systems called the Quadrangle and Wood Trench. A rain-delayed attack to capture Mametz Wood, Wood Trench and Quadrangle Trench took place at 12.45am, 5th July the 9th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers and 10th Lancashire Fusiliers crept out of their trenches and towards the German line. From only 100 meters they charged forward capturing the Quadrangle.
During this assault Walter Smith sustained a Blighty wound to his right arm during the battle. He was evacuated from Mametz Wood and took no further part in the battle or War.
Due to the seriousness of his injuries Walter did not return to active service but was kept in France working behind the lines and was discharged from the Army on the 28th of February 1918. He was classed as no longer physically fit for War Service. Walter spent 358 days in France.
He returned back to Wallsend and married Hilda and had two children, Robert and Edna.
He took part in the Jarrow Marches in 1936, eventually finding employment as a cabinet maker for Swan Hunters the Shipbuilders till he died in 1958.
Walter never talked about the War, it was too painful, only the friends he lost.
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