Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Corporal E. Smith, 11th (Lonsdale) Battalion, Border Regiment

1914-15 Star (16350 Pte. E. Smith. Bord. R.); British War and Victory Medals (16350 Cpl. E. Smith. Bord. R.) nearly extremely fine (3) £140-£180

Edward Smith was born in 1893 and lived in the small Cumbrian village of Glasson on the course of Hadrian’s Wall, near Drumburgh. One of the ‘original’ members of the Battalion, his name is listed as part of “B” Company in the 11th Battalion Nominal Roll of November 1915. He crossed the Channel to France on 23 November 1915 and was soon preparing camp at Bouzincourt, close to the town of Albert in the Somme Department.

The First Day of the Battle of the Somme
The experiences and sacrifices of the 11th Battalion, Border Regiment, on 1 July 1916, are described by many historians as typifying the slaughter on the Somme. Detailed to emerge from the front line trenches and advance across No Man's Land in the Leipzig Salient, it wasn't long before carefully aimed enfilade fire from the German-held Nordwerk began to mow down the infantry in scores:
‘At 8am exactly Colonel Machell gave the order from the edge of Authuille Wood to move out. The Lonsdales wished each other good luck and shook hands, then they started their advance, some cheering and singing as if at a football match. They moved in blob formation, little groups of men being slightly to the rear of the one in front and slightly to the flank, this being considered the best formation under shell fire. As soon as the Lonsdales came into the open the deadly enfilade machine gun fire ripped through their ranks. The Germans found their mark; a hail of bullets cut furrows in the earth as the machine gunners found their range. The Lonsdales were being strewn all over the ground.’

Of the 28 officers and 800 men who took part in the attack, 25 officers and 490 men were killed or wounded that day. According to the Lonsdale Battalion Casualty List, "C" Company lost 22 killed and 106 wounded; a few survivors managed to reach the 17th Highlanders who succeeded in capturing the Leipzig Redoubt - perhaps the greatest success for 32nd Division that day - but contemporary accounts later described the majority of the men as being 'cut down like grass'. It would be another three months before the original objective of Mouquet Farm was finally captured on 26 September 1916, with further daily losses of life.

Remaining with the 11th Battalion throughout the Great War, Smith was discharged to Army Reserve on 6 April 1919.