L/Cpl 51687 Avard Forsyth Smith

A daughter Margaret Imrie was born in 1893. 

By 1901 they have settled at 64 King Street, Liscard, Cheshire, with two children and a domestic servant.  His father, aged 39,  is a shops chandler working on his own account,  mother Rosaline is aged 31, Maggie is 8, Avard is 5. They also have a servant Nancy Booth aged 31. His brother Harold Albert was born later that year.  

 

In 1911 the family is living at 9 Maldwyn Road, Liscard. His father, 49, is a master mariner, his mother is 41. They advise that they heve been married for 19 years, and have had three children. Margaret (Maggie) is 18, a typist.  Avard, 15, and Harold 9, are at school.

He was educated at Wallasey Grammar School and a member of the Seacombe Congregational Church.

An article in a local newspaper states that in civil life he was on the staff of the Royal Insurance Co.  It also states that he had been in France for three years, but the amount of the War Gratuity suggests that he enlisted in about June 1916.

Avard enlisted as Rifleman 4412 joining the 6th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment (Liverpool Rifles). He embarked from Folkestone-Boulogne on 29th July 1916, reaching the 24th Infantry Base Depot on 30th July 1916. He proceeded to the 17th Battalion K.L.R. on 07th August, and was posted to No. 3 Coy of the 19th Battalion K.L.R. on 05th September 1916.

He was serving in the 19^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Lance-Corporal No 51687 where he was a Lewis Gunner and bomber and had recently been a gas Corporal when he died on the 08^th April 1918 aged 22 at 1st London General Hospital, Camberwell.

His parents placed a notice in the Liverpool Echo on 10th April 1918:

“April 8, died of wounds received in action, at the 1st General Hospital, London, aged 22 years, Avard Forsyth, the dearly-loved elder son of Capt. and Mrs. F. A. smith, 9 Maldwyn Road, Liscard. (Funeral arrangements later.)”

Avard’s body was returned from London and he was laid to rest at 11 a.m. on 13th April in Rake Lane Cemetery,  Wallasey, where the headstone reads, 

In loving memory of 

Avard Forsyth Smith

who died of wounds received in France  

8^th April 1918, aged 22 years

His father Capt. Frederick A. Smith, died when S.S. Waneta was torpedoed on 30th May 1918, en route from Halifax, Nova Scotia, 40 miles off Kinsale Head, Ireland, by U-boat U-101.  Of the 123 people on board, 8 were lost.  He was 56 years of age and is remembered on the Tower Hill Memorial. 

Having suffered the dreadful loss of her son and her husband in less than two months, Avard's mother Rosaline received his Army effects, including a War Gratuity of £10-10s, and a pension of 7/6d a week from October 1918.  Probate was granted to his mother in the amount of £83-9s.