35th Reserve Battalion, Royal Field Artillery
The 1911 Census return for 36 Glenfall Street, Cheltenham shows this to be the family home of John and Mary Smith and a number of their eleven children. One of the children was Arthur Smith, an apprentice coach maker (for a coach builder), who was born at Caerleon, Monmouthshire. It is believed that he was born in December 1893.
His Medal Index Card reveals that he Attested for service on 9 December 1915 and was mobilised into the Royal Field Artillery (RFA), being posted to 6th Battalion, Reserve Brigade, on 18 August 1916. He was discharged as ‘being no longer physically fit for war service’ on 20 July 1917 at Woolwich, whilst serving with 35th Reserve Battery, RFA. The reason for the discharge is contained in his surviving Army Pension papers: a Medical Board on 29 June 1917 diagnosed the presence of tuberculosis, which had originated in March 1917 in Edinburgh. The condition was seen as being aggravated by his military service and a pension of 27 shillings and 6 pence per week was awarded, due to 100% incapacity. Sanatorium treatment was indicated.
Arthur Smith left the Army and was awarded a Silver War Badge. He succumbed to his illness on 24 October 1918 (although the pension records state it was the 23rd), aged 24. He was buried in Cheltenham Cemetery, where a CWGC headstone marks his grave. He is commemorated on the Cheltenham Borough War Memorial.
Researched by Graham Adams 6 February 2013