| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Graffiti in the SW tower of Beverley Minster says that an "N. Smedley" was one of the "first lads in Beverley to go to war 5 Aug 1914". This wasn't actually the case and the graffiti may have been produced by Neville Smedley's nephew, also named Neville Smedley (born in 1908), along with his friend George Chew (b 1906) whose father John Chew is also mentioned in the graffiti and who definitely did go to war on this date.
In fact Neville Smedley went to war on 31 May 1916, he joined the army as a private in the Notts and Derby Regiment (the Sherwood Foresters) and after training served in France. However on 27 Oct 1917 he was admitted to the 50th General Hospital at Etaples with trench fever, not leaving until 7 Nov 1917. Considered unfit for frontline service he was switched to the Labour Corps. On 26 Jan 1918 he was transferred again, this time to the Royal Flying Corps. Neville was graded as an Air Mechanic Grade 3 but was employed on labour duties. He switched to the RAF upon its formation on 1 Apr 1918. He was demobilised on 3 Mar 1919 and was in the RAF Reserve. He was awarded the War and Victory Medals.
Neville was born in Beverley the 25 Oct 1882 (though his RAF record states it was 1885). He was baptised at the St Nicholas' church on Christmas Day 1883, the son of Henry Smedley and Emma (nee Seaton) who married at St Mary's in 1874. Henry was a shoemaker. Emma was from Laisby, Lincolnshire. Neville was brought up on Beckside, on Keldgate and then 86 Beaver Road. He married Lois Wilson at Beverley Minster on 26 Mar 1913. Their first child, Henry, was born the 25 Jan 1914, Ronald was born 1921. Before and after the war Neville worked as a tanner's labourer. He had also played rugby for Beverley in the pre-war period. He lived at 41 Grovehill Road. He died on 10 Oct 1966 aged 83 and was buried at Queensgate Cemetery, Beverley on 12 Oct 1966. Lois died in Oct 1965.
Includes information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |