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  Wartime Heritage
                                    ASSOCIATION
 
 
 
  Remembering World War I
  Yarmouth Connections
 
 
  Name:
  
  
  Frederick Smith
  Regimental Number:
  1099379 
  Rank:
  
  
  
  Sapper
  Battalion:
  
  
  256th Railway Construction Battalion
   
  Date of Birth:
  
  August 30, 1898 
  
  Place of Birth:
  
  Yarmouth, NS
   
  
  Date of Enlistment:
  February 3, 1917
  Place of Enlistment:
  Yarmouth, NS
  Address at Enlistment:
  Yarmouth, NS
  Age at Enlistment:
  19
  Height: 
  
  
  5 feet, 5 inches
  Complexion:
  
  Medium
  Eye Colour:
  
  Grey
  Hair Colour:
  
  Brown
  Marital Status:
  
  Married  
  Trade:
  
  
  Teamster
  Religion:
  
  
  Roman Catholic
  Next of Kin:
  
  Catherine Smith (Wife) Main St., Yarmouth NS
  Date of Death:
  
  October 23, 1917 
  Age at Death:
  
  20
  Cemetery:
  
  
  Ridge Wood Military Cemetery, Belgium 
  Grave Reference:
  I. U. 5.
  Commemorated on Page 328 of the First World War Book of Remembrance
  Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on July 17 
  Listed on the St. Ambrose Church Tablet, Yarmouth, NS
  Commemorated on the Yarmouth Monument; listed as “Edgar J. Smith”
  Frederick was the son of Edgar J. Smith and Annie Smith of Yarmouth, NS. He married Catherine LeBlanc on 
  June 6, 1916. He served, prior to his WWI service, with the 29th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Yarmouth 
  NS.  His enlistment papers give his age as 19 years; however, the marriage certificate lists his age as 21 years 
  in 1916.  
  Enlisting at Yarmouth on February 3, 1917, with the 256th Railway Construction Battalion, he went overseas 
  on the SS Northland arriving in Liverpool, England on March 29, 1917.   He disembarked in France on June 
  19, 1917, and was served with the 10th Canadian Railway Troops.  Sapper Smith was killed by enemy shell 
  fire on October 23, 1917. 
  The following letter was sent to his mother:
 
 
   
   Frederick Smith   
 
 
   
 
 
 
  Dear Mrs. Smith:
  It is with a great deal of sadness that I now extend to you and Mr. Smith my deepest 
  sympathy for the loss of your son, Fred.  It is very sad indeed to think that one so young and so 
  devoted to duty should be one of those to fall, yet it is good to know that he died while at work 
  under very great odds.
  He was killed doing his bit. The end cam instantaneously so you may rest assured that 
  there was no long suffering. He proved himself a good soldier - an honest willing and devoted 
  worker.
  Although he was smaller and not nearly so strong as the rest, he did his work cheerfully and 
  was a friend to all.
  The body was laid away in a military cemetery Somewhere in France, A Roman Catholic 
  Chaplain officiating.
  ...
  J. R. Parrott
  10th Canadian Railway Troops
 
 