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heavy machine gun fire and few managed to get more than 30
yards from their own trench.
The 2nd Northants followed 10 minutes later, just as the mines
blew, causing some confusion in the German trenches. However
their fate was much as the East Lancs, although a few did get
through a gap blown by the field guns.
By 8.30 there were three small British lodgements in the German
trenches but they were not in touch with each other and under
great pressure. Apart from this, the attack had come to a standstill.
The men in the German trenches were cut off.
Further attacks were planned in the day but did not materialise
due to chaos in the build-up and heavy shelling by the enemy.
At 8.30pm efforts were made to reinforce the small garrisons in
the enemy trenches without success. Twenty six men from the
2nd Northants managed to get back to their own lines, 10 of them
were wounded.
At 2.30am on the 10th the garrisons were withdrawn.
British casualties were 11,000 during the day, the majority within
a few yards of their own trenches.
The 2nd Northants incurred 426 casualties (out of an original
around 1,000), all in the first wave of the attack.
It was in this attack that Albert Smith died. He was 21 years old.
The battle was an unmitigated disaster. No ground was won and
no tactical advantage was gained.
He is remembered on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Panel 7.
SMITH Ernest
Private 10664 1st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment
Ernest was born at the end of 1879 to John and Mary Smith of
West Street, Kings Cliffe.
He lived at home with his parents and in 1891 was attending the
local school.
By 1901 as a 21-year-old, he had moved to London and was
working as a kitchen porter.
In 1903 he married Temperance Elizabeth Macartney in Stamford
and they lived in West Street, possibly with Ernest’s parents.
216
yards from their own trench.
The 2nd Northants followed 10 minutes later, just as the mines
blew, causing some confusion in the German trenches. However
their fate was much as the East Lancs, although a few did get
through a gap blown by the field guns.
By 8.30 there were three small British lodgements in the German
trenches but they were not in touch with each other and under
great pressure. Apart from this, the attack had come to a standstill.
The men in the German trenches were cut off.
Further attacks were planned in the day but did not materialise
due to chaos in the build-up and heavy shelling by the enemy.
At 8.30pm efforts were made to reinforce the small garrisons in
the enemy trenches without success. Twenty six men from the
2nd Northants managed to get back to their own lines, 10 of them
were wounded.
At 2.30am on the 10th the garrisons were withdrawn.
British casualties were 11,000 during the day, the majority within
a few yards of their own trenches.
The 2nd Northants incurred 426 casualties (out of an original
around 1,000), all in the first wave of the attack.
It was in this attack that Albert Smith died. He was 21 years old.
The battle was an unmitigated disaster. No ground was won and
no tactical advantage was gained.
He is remembered on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Panel 7.
SMITH Ernest
Private 10664 1st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment
Ernest was born at the end of 1879 to John and Mary Smith of
West Street, Kings Cliffe.
He lived at home with his parents and in 1891 was attending the
local school.
By 1901 as a 21-year-old, he had moved to London and was
working as a kitchen porter.
In 1903 he married Temperance Elizabeth Macartney in Stamford
and they lived in West Street, possibly with Ernest’s parents.
216
