Six: Chief Petty Officer A. E. Smith, Royal Navy, who died on 15 April 1917

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 1 clasp, Natal (170673 A.B., H.M.S. Forte) engraved naming; Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Gambia (P.O. 2 Cl., H.M.S. Forte); 1914-15 Star (170673 C.P.O., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (170673 C.P.O., R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (170673 C.P.O., H.M.S. Mantua) first two with edge bruising and contact marks, good fine and better, rare combination (6) £700-800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The John Chidzey Collection.

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29 ‘Gambia’ clasps awarded to H.M.S. Forte.

Albert Edward Smith was born in Bridport, Dorset on 18 October 1877. He entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 12 December 1892 and was advanced to Boy 1st Class in November 1893. Serving on Undaunted he was promoted to Ordinary Seaman in October 1895 and to Able Seaman in June 1896. Serving on Galatea he held the rank of Leading Seaman, May-October 1898 before reverting once more to Able Seaman. Smith served on Forte, April 1899-May 1902, being promoted to Leading Seaman in October 1900, Petty Officer 2nd Class in December 1900 and Petty Officer 1st Class in August 1901. He attained the rank of Acting Chief Petty Officer in June 1912 and was confirmed in that rank in June 1913 when serving at the R.N. School H.M.S. Ganges. During the war he served on the armed merchant cruiser Mantua, August 1914-January 1916.

C.P.O. Smith was invalided from Pembroke I on 16 February 1916, suffering from locomotor ataxia. He died on 15 April 1917, aged 38 years and was buried at Bridport Cemetery, Dorset. He was the son of Thomas and Mary Smith and husband of Sarah Rosina Pope (formerly Smith) of Hill View, West Wellow, Romsey, Hampshire.

With copied service papers and other research, plus a modern photograph of his headstone.