9th Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers (British Army)
Date Of Birth:
17/12/1894
Died:
01/12/1917 (Died of Wounds)
Age:
22
Summary
John Smyth was the third son of John and Annie Smyth. He was born on 17th December 1894 in Tamlaght O'Crilly, just west of Portglenone in the district of Magherafelt. The family had a farm there. John Smyth enlisted in Antrim, joining the North Irish Horse on 1st February 1915 (No 1435). Private John Smyth went to France with his unit in November 1915. Private John Smyth was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers when he received gunshot wounds on 26th November 1917 during the assault on the village of Moeuvres during the Battle of Cambrai. Private John Smyth died of his wounds in No.6 Hospital, Rouen on Saturday 1st December 1917. He was 22 years old.
Further Information
John Smyth was the third son of John and Annie Smyth. John Smyth married Anne Adams on the 19th August 1890 in the district of Magherafelt.
John Joseph Smyth was born on 17th December 1894 in Tamlaght O'Crilly, just west of Portglenone in the district of Magherafelt. He was one of eight children.
The 1901 census lists John as age 5 living with the family at house 23 in Money Staghan Ellis, Claudy, County Londonderry. Moneystaghan-Ellis lies just west of Portglenone in the district of Magherafelt, as does Spruce Bank. They were a farming family.
Family: John Smyth, Annie Smyth, Thomas Johnston Smith (born 7 June 1891), Joseph Samuel Smyth (born 26th April 1893), John Joseph Smyth (born 17th December 1894), Robert James Smyth (born 21st December 1896), Albert Wolsley Pembroke Smyth (born 14th May 1899), Mary Fillie Smyth (born 14th April 1901), Frederick B B Smyth (born 21st May 1902), Annie Caroline Smyth (born 13th January 1905).
The 1911 census lists John as age 16 living with the family at house 23 in Money Staghan Ellis, Claudy. John was working on his father’s farm.
John Smyth enlisted in Antrim, joining the North Irish Horse on 1st February 1915 (No 1435).
Private John Smyth went to France with his unit in November 1915.
Private John Smyth was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers when he received gunshot wounds on 26th November 1917 during the assault on the village of Moeuvres during the Battle of Cambrai.
Private John Smyth died of his wounds in No.6 Hospital, Rouen on Saturday 1st December 1917. He was 22 years old.
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 6th December. 1917:
John Smyth, Royal Irish Fusiliers, formerly North Irish Horse, son of Mr John Smith, Sprucebank, Portglenone, died in the 5th Hospital at Rouen on the 1st December, of gunshot wounds received in action round Cambrai on 26th November. He was of fine soldierly bearing, courageous and made many friends.
From the Ballymena Observer dated 14th December 1917:
Mr and Mrs John Smyth, Spruce Bank, Portglenone, have received information that their third son, John Smyth, of the North Irish Horse and lately of the Royal Irish Fusiliers, has died from gunshot wounds received in action on November 26th. He was 22 years of age and has served three years. Mr and Mrs Smyth’s eldest son is serving with the New Zealanders.
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 17th December. 1917:
Private John Smyth, Sprucebank, Portglenone, died from gunshot wounds received in action on 26th November. He had been transferred from the North Irish Horse to the Royal Irish Fusiliers.
From De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour, (Volume 3)
Smith, John, Private, No 1435, North Irish Horse, attached 9th Battalion The Royal Irish Fusiliers, son of John Smith of Spruce Bank, Portglenone, county Derry, Farmer, by his wife Annie, daughter of Robert and Mary Adams, of Tyance, county Derry, educated at Innisrush and Portglenone; was a farmer’s assistant; joined the North Irish Horse 1st February 1915; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from the following November, and died in No.6 Hospital, Rouen 1st December 1917 from wounds in action at Cambrai on 26th November. Buried in Rouen. His commander officer wrote. ‘Having been in the same squadron of the North Irish Horse myself, I have known Private Smyth for some time, and have always found him a fine soldier and popular among comrades.’
His commanding officer wrote of him:
Having been in the same squadron of the North Irish Horse myself, I have known Private Smyth for some time, and have always found him a fine soldier and popular among comrades.
Private J Smyth is buried at St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France.
John’s brother, Lance Corporal Thomas Johnston Smyth, M.M. also served, with 14th Company, 2nd Battalion of the Otago Regiment with the New Zealand contingent. Thomas survived the war.
