Edward Thomas Smith

A Private with 9th Bn. Edward died on 28th of December 1916 at the age of 40. 

Edward was born at Lowestoft in 1876, a son of Simon and Mary Ann Smith. In 1881 his family lived at 4 Bircham Square, East Street. In 1891 they lived at 17 Anguish Street. By 1901 Edward's father had died and his mother had married James Moss and his family lived at 21 Anguish Street. In 1901 Edward was working as a general labourer. By 1911 his family were living at 12 Anguish Street and Edward worked as a fish hawker on his own account.

Edward enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft and joined the Suffolk Regiment. He served in France with the 4th Battalion, service number 4276, and was subsequently posted to the 9th Battalion, service number 44062. 

On 26 December 1916 the 9th Battalion moved to Mazingarbe. On 27 December they went into trenches, with the Quarries at the right. The Battalion War Diary entry for 28 December 1916 has 'in trenches' and the entry for 29 December 1916 has 'in trenches - two men killed'. As no men of the Suffolk Regiment died on the 29 December 1916 we can infer that the two men referred to in the War Diary must be Edward and Private Albert Musk.    

Note on all official sources both military, and civil, he is Edward Thomas not Thomas Edward as given in some sources.