CORPORAL 12748 JOSEPH SMITH (MM), 10th BATTALION WEST RIDING REGIMENT.


CORPORAL 12748 JOSEPH SMITH (MM), 10th BATTALION WEST RIDING REGIMENT. KILLED IN ACTION 18th OCTOBER 1917 AGED 21


Joe Smith was barely 18 years old when he enlisted in the Ilkley Pals Company of the 9th West Riding Regiment, in September 1914. A butcher by trade he was one of four sons born to Thomas and Emma Smith in Burley in Wharfedale. The family had moved to Ilkley in the years immediately before the war and lived variously in East Parade and Wellington Road.


Not long after the battalion arrived in France in July 1915 Joe was badly wounded in the legs by enemy shrapnel and was evacuated back to England. In total he would spend 15 months recovering from his wounds and would not return to France until November 1916. Instead of returning to the 9th Battalion he was posted to the 10th where he would serve with 'A' Company, which by chance contained a number of men from Ilkley.

Joe was promoted to corporal and on the 20th September 1917 took part in an attack on the German Trenches near to Sanctuary Wood in the Ypres sector. For his bravery in this action he was awarded the Military Medal.

A few weeks later, on the 18th October Joe and his battalion where in the front line west of Polygon Wood when at 2am in the morning they came under heavy German attack. A major trench raid was launched against the battalion which was only beaten off with great difficulty and the loss of 18 men killed. Sadly, Joe was one of those who lost their lives. His Sergeant Major would write to Joe's family to tell them that he had been killed when a shell burst in the trench killing him instantly. His commanding officer would say of Joe, " he was a most highly respected and reliable NCO whose loss was keenly felt".

Private Joe Smith was buried near to where he fell but his grave was lost during subsequent fighting. Today he is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing and remembered with pride on our war memorial in Ilkley.

Photo courtesy James Cooper



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