Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Photo of George William Smith – George William Smith was two years old when his mother died and was brought up by his sister Harriet (later Mrs Holt, of Railway Street, Barnetby - his next of kin). When old enough he joined the British Army and served for 9 years 335 days in the Royal Field Artillery as 78458 Driver G. W. Smith. He left the Army and was placed on the Reserve List only to be recalled to the colours when hostilities broke out in South Africa (Boer War.) He received the following campaign medals: King's South Africa Medal 1901-1902, with bars S. A. 1901 and S. A. 1902; Queen's South Africa Medal 1899-1902, with bars for Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Transvaal, Laing's Nek and Relief of Ladysmith. On leaving the Army George returned to Barnetby to live with his sister and worked for two years on the Great Central Railway before emigrating to Canada, where he worked as a labourer, living in huts in the backwoods, believed in the area near Vernon B.C. During the ten years George spent in the backwoods he did all his own cooking, housework and washing. On enlistment he joined D Company, 54th (Kootenay) Battalion, 2nd Central Ontario Regiment, CEF, where he trained as a `bomber¿.

Grave marker

Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery – A view of Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery looking towards George Smith's headstone - marked with a poppy posy from the previous year!

Photo 2 of Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery – A Garden of Remembrance - Cabaret Rouge Cemetery looking westward. George's grave is not in this view (behind and to the left of the photographer).