WW1 Memorial Plaque & Pair to Smithson Grimsby Chums.

A Great War Broze memorial plaque named to William Henry Smithson, British war and Victory medal correctly named to 1239 Private William Henry Smithson of the 10th battalion Lincolnshire regiment (the Grimsby Chums).
William Smithson was born around 1896 in Morton, Gainsborough, Lincolshire. He joined the 10th battalion in Grimsby on 7th January 1915.
The 10th (Grimsby) Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. The Grimsby Chums trained in a camp erected on the Brocklesby Estate, 10 miles from their hometown. They joined 101st Brigade, 34th Division at Ripon Camp in June 1915 and later moved to Sutton Veny, Wiltshire for final training before proceeding to France in January 1916. They were marched to the trenches at Bois-Grenier, just south of Armentières February 1916.
It was cold and snowing and they occupied the frontline trench with 16th Royal Scots. Almost immediately they were taking casualties and wounded, probably by sniper. They were in and out of the front line while moving north arriving at Nieppe on 23rd March then on to Fleurbaix or Fromelles on the 27th. It was here that William was seriously wounded and died of his wounds on 1st April 1916. This was inevitable as the battalion was almost decimated three months later on the First Day of the Somme, the Grimsby Chums were in the first wave attacking the fortified village of La Boisselle, just south of the Albert-Bapaume road.
William Henry Smithson is now remembered with honour at the Rue-David Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix. He was the only son of the late William Henry Smithson and of Annie Smithson, of Morton, Gainsborough.

Code: 29430