Biography of Frank SMITH
[Ref. Q.112]
| Profile |  |
Index for SMITH |
Biography of Frank SMITH
[Ref. Q.112]
| Profile | |
Index for SMITH |
Frank Smith was born on 18 August 1894 in the village of Eynsford in Kent and that is how his name was registered on 9 October tht year. He was the youngest of the eleven children of Thomas and Mary Smith and his name and date of birth are recorded on the Family Register that was kept by his parents. The family were living in Eynsford Street in Eynsford at the time he was born.
According to the census of 1901, Frank was living with his parents at 6 Gibson's Cottages in Eynsford. By the time the census was taken in 1911, they had moved to Malt Shovel Cottages and Frank is shown as employed as an engine picker at the paper mill in Eynsford.
In 1915, Frank was recruited into the army and signed his attestation form at Grove Park on 8 June that year for the Mechanical Transport part of the Royal Army Service Corps and was given the service number 103693. His previous occupation was shown as Motor Driver. Details of his service have not been found other than he served in France as a private in the RASC and was sent out there on 26 August 1915. He was raised to the rank of Corporal. He was awarded the three World War 1 medals being the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal, known affectionally as Pip, Squeek and Wilfred.
According to the recollection of niece Marie Smith, Frank worked as a chauffeur and married a lady called Gladys. She has not yet been identified. They had daughters Evelyn and Pat but not all of these details have been substantiated yet.
Frank died in Crayford, Kent on 27 August 1947 having sustained a cerebral haemorrhage and broncho-pneumonia but had also been suffering from high blood pressure. The death certificate confirmed that he had been working as a chauffeur. The informant of Frank's death is shown as his brother H T Smith but that person is not known which puts an element of doubt on the certificate being the correct one.