Paul Smith 1885–1915 Help please.

[tresario]

Paul Smith
1885–1915 France and Flanders.

Hello
Please can anyone have a look for his army records. I've looked on Ancestry and can't seem to find him. His wife was Florence Elizabeth and son George. Parents Samuel and Mary Ann Smith. 1911 census living in Aston with family and mother in law Emma ingram.
Would love to see his records, he's my grandads Alfred Smith brother.I

Appreciate the help thank you

[MaxD]

Do be aware that some 60% or so of Great War records were destroyed by bombing in WW2 so odds are already against and Paul Smith and variants produce an awful lot of hits in the medal records.

Did he die in 1915, was he invalided out in 1915? Any army numbers anywhere?


MaxD

[tresario]

No he died in France and Flanders in 1915. I was hoping to find his army record, but I don't know which regiment..
WHOOP..
Think this is him..
Paul Smith
Birth Place:   Smethwick, Staffs
Residence:   Smethwick
Death Date:   26 Apr 1915
Death Place:   France and Flanders
Enlistment Place:   Coventry
Rank:   Private
Regiment:   Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Battalion:   1st Battalion
Regimental Number:   158
Type of Casualty:   Killed in action
Theatre of War:   Western European Theatre

[MaxD]

That Paul Smith had a mother in law called Mrs Emma Ingram - does that add up?  For him there is no service record although his medal card is extant and the info about mother in law is in the Effects register.

MaxD

[jim1]

Marriage:
Paul Smith=Florence Elizabeth Ingram 1908 Aston.
Looks like him Max.
He had the unenviable distinction of witnessing one of the first gas attacks.

[tresario]

Yes, that's him.That sounds awful, so did he die in the gas attack? Where do I access the medal and effects register.

Thanks so much for the information.

[jim1]

The effects register is on Ancestry.
He didn't die in the gas attack.

[tresario]

Thank you.

[jim1]

I'm pretty sure he died on the 25th. not 26th. This was the 2nd. Battle of Ypres.
1/RWR were part of a large offensive force attempting to re-take St. Julien after the Germans used gas against the Canadians a few days earlier.
Their part was to take the wood held by the Germans.
Unfortunately they suffered 500 casualties by m/g fire & shelling.