| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Harry (Henry) Smedley was born in Beverley in Jun 1886, the son of Henry Smedley, shoemaker of Beverley, and Emma. In 1911 aged 25 Harry was living in Beverley and working as a tanner's labourer, by 1914 he was living in Hull and working on the fish docks.
On 15 Jan 1915, Harry enlisted in the 13th Service Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment, known as “T’Others”, and embarked for France in Apr 1916. His service record shows that he suffered a shrapnel wound to his left leg on 13 Nov 1916 and that he was injured a second time in Aug 1917. In Mar 1918 Harry was transferred to the Royal Munster Fusiliers, only to be wounded for a third time just ten days later and he was hospitalised in Westcliff, Essex. He was later transferred to the Royal Engineers in Nov 1918, where he served until his discharge on 5 Mar 1919. He was awarded the British War and Victory medals.
In 1920 Harry married Lilian May Scott, a widow with two sons. Lilian was born in Beverley. Harry and Lilian had a daughter, Vera May who died when she was a year old. Harry died in 1969 aged of 82.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |