5890004 Sgt. James Frederick SMITH, 1st Bn Northamptonshire Reg

Discussion in 'Burma & India' started by Craig Ball, Jan 9, 2022.

  1. Craig Ball

    Craig Ball Member

    Hey all,

    I'm at the start of my journey to expand the family knowledge on My Great Uncles participation with the 1st Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment (I believe he was in 2Coy&3Coy).

    Sgt James Frederick Smith
    5890004

    My understanding of his service background is somewhat limited and my research has been founded on several items that we still have in the family; his Military Medal & Citation, Several Newspaper articles in reference to his MM award and the London Gazette/Despatches.

    What I do know; his Military Medal was won as part of a rear guard patrol as the Battalion made its withdrawal from Moreh early April 1944. Ordered to take his section to reconnoitre and take offensive action against Japanese Guns that were shelling Moreh at the time of the evacuation - this coincides with Terence Molloys 'Silchar Track' with extracts of heavy shelling. However before the section could put in their attack they were approached by a Japanese Platoon that they successfully ambushed. After being encircled and with close quarter fighting, he withdrew his section back successfully.

    For this action he was temporarily promoted from WS Corporal to 'Acting Sergeant' and would go on to participate in the battle of the Silchar Track and the many battles around Pt. 5846.

    I'm excited to understand if it's infact my Great Uncle Sgt Smith that is mentioned in Terence Molloys 'Silchar Track' on page 62-4 with the loss of Marne Picquet on the 5th May. He is noted as being a Sergeant and it is with this that I have my reason of belief it is him as Sgt Kelly makes reference to him on page 93-4 as still a corporal (considering his acting promotion to SGT isnt set in stone) and is to be promoted 'again'. I'm assuming this time the Sergeant promotion is to be concrete.

    I will try my utmost to pull his service records from the MOD (which maybe problematic as i dont have a death cert) but i'm clueless on his involvement before and after Jan-July 1944.

    I'm leaning on those on here to seek further information, guidance and sharing of documents? I'm more than happy to share what I have.

    Regards
    Craig
     
  2. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    Hi Craig, good first post on your great uncle and welcome to the forum.

    Firstly, the casualty lists show that he was wounded 5.1.45 in Burma, the lists do not give any detailed information.

    For his records (essential) if you can supply some more information folks around here will endeavour to help.

    What was his place and date of birth, when and where did he die? Will hunt around for his death details so that you can get the certificate.

    Presumably him?

    Smith 2.jpg
     
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  3. Craig Ball

    Craig Ball Member

    Hey Tony56

    Thanks for the speedy response and the hand of support; Indeed this is him and this happens to be one of the Newspaper cuttings we have in our possession but great find nonetheless.

    I've attached the WO Military Medal Citation (note a 0 missing from his Service number and the many squiggle amendments).

    I'm certain James 'Jim' returned and remained in Stapleford post war however my Grandmother relocated to Sussex and lost contact, therefore pinpointing a date of death (including date of Birth) is leading me to reach out to some distant cousins who still reside in the Nottingham area. This I will envisage to share as early as possible.. otherwise I can speculate his Date of Birth is between 1915 & 1922 with the local Parish being Stapleford (St Helens). It maybe a longshot with what we have at the moment.. but i'll see what we can fish out in means of the above unless we can make the longshot on what we have?

    I know his service records will give more background on him being wounded but I'm very intrigued on where you were able locate this information and what other avenues i can pursue on this? I'll cross compare this date of 05/01/45 with the battalions war diary (this I still need to download from the National Archives) which should determine the action and location.

    Thanks again the kind support; (any further sharing of this thread would be much appreciated)

    Craig
     

    Attached Files:

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  4. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    If he worked at Stanton ironworks could he have been living at Ilkestone, Derbyshire. Do you know his parents ? John and Alice?
     
  5. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

  6. Craig Ball

    Craig Ball Member

    Thanks for the shared Links davidbfpo I've trawled and navigated through these for sometime now. Much appreciated.

    Tony56 I think we have a break through (the entire evening spent combing through the freebmd & GRO websites leveraging my Grandmothers birth date in the Nottingham district as the linchpin )

    I believe James Frederick Smith was born 18/05/1913 in Shardlow Nottinghamshire (a stones throw from Stapleford and must have moved closer to Sandiacre / Stapleford in the 1920s)
    and unfortunately passed away in 1976 Nottingham.

    I've gone ahead and ordered both the Birth & Death Certificates. Once the Death arrives I'll be sure to submit my request for his Service Records and will share upon arrival.

    Skoyen89 I've dropped you a message to make you aware of the this thread considering your comprehensive input in the past surrounding your Father in Laws service with the 1st Battalion Northamptonshire. I wouldn't be surprised if your father in law and my Uncle had known each other...Any thing you can share with me would be great? I'm aiming to confirm all mentions of Sgt James Smith In Terence Molloy's 'Silchar Track' are him - I have great confidence it is.

    Thanks all

    Craig
     
  7. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    Hi Craig

    Working on this but not having much luck. There is no further info in Jervois or in the few private accounts I have - the notes in Molloy are the only places where he is mentioned by name. He doesn't appear on a list of awards to the 1st Battalion for Burma published in the Regimental Newsletter in Oct 1945 but that is probably an oversight

    Despite what it says on the MM recommendation the incident at Moreh that he won his medal for was on 31 March 1944 not 2 April as the Northamptons had withdrawn from Moreh by 2 April. Although he is not mentioned by name the patrol he was on is mentioned in the War Diary.

    Likewise Molloy has the best account of the attack on Marne Picquet on 5 May 1944 and the War Diary confirms the details without mentioning names. Interestingly I was at Marne Picquet a couple of years ago but it has been 'remodelled' for farming. I also went to Moreh on the same trip, which again has been covered with building although most of the supply dump was in Burma (now Myanmar) and I was unable to cross the border from India - the border runs through the middle of the town.

    Finally he was wounded in the fighting for Budalin on 5 Jan 1945. Again the War Diaries and various accounts I have explain the fighting for the town but do not mention him.

    The one find was another photo of him on a family tree on Ancestry. I guess this is a relative of yours who has the photo - it was taken in 1942 when he married Joan M Stark (1920-1969). Perhaps you can get a better copy of the photo? Have you tried the extended family for information? I wonder who has his medals?

    I will keep looking but have tried the most obvious places in the files I have.
     

    Attached Files:

  8. Craig Ball

    Craig Ball Member

    Thanks Tony Skoyen89 again this has far exceeded my expectations.

    I did notice the discrepancy with the date that is referred in the citation and how this didn't stack up; I'm not surprised that this was an oversight considering the recommendation was written on the 26th of April and the Battalion had experienced alot within that 4 week period. Nonetheless it's gratifying that the action has been recorded in the war diary (as you would expect) but interesting to see that they received a casualty.

    It's a pity there is no other further mention of Jim in the private accounts that you have in your possession. This I was hoping considering his rank and length of time with the Battalion. However what does seem clear is that him & Sgt Ted Kelly were friends or atleast the language he uses is very suggestive they were familiar with each other 'Poor Sgt Smith'.
    Are you aware if Sgt Ted Kelly letters & diary was ever formally recorded and if these are with the Regimental Museum at Abington or remain private with his next of kin? As I understand from the End Notes in Molloy that these were written on 'Army Form Blank'. Furthermore Ron Parker & Jack Clifford happen to be in 2coy during the time of Silchar Track... it would be great to locate their accounts also.

    I'm also keen to retrace the Silchar track, locate the Picquets and ridge lines for sometime. This is very much on the pilgrimage bucket list... I will be certain to ask for recommendations.

    Again this is a big surprise and coincidence that this wedding photo was posted in Ancestry. I'm certain my Grandmother (his 2nd youngest sister) would have attended his wedding as she was still living with the family in Stapleford at the time. By any chance are you able to send the larger photo? After my Grandmother moved to Sussex she had minimal contact with her family that was eventually lost but what she did tell me was that Jim was truly traumatised upon his return. I will seek more info on his medals from cousins but I believe he never had children and he did throw alot of his wartime items into a canal.

    I'm set to receive the Death Certificate next week and I have the Army Service application already complete in anticipation to send off immediately. I'll keep you looped in with proceedings.

    Your father in law was wounded during the Northamptons time along the Silchar Track; which Coy was he in and did he return to service?

    Again thanks for everything you've discovered so far,

    Craig
     

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