Dedicated to the memory of all the men and women of the South Staffordshire area who died during the two World Wars.
Ernest Charles Smith was born in Brewood in 1884 and was baptized at the Parish Church on 13th April of that year. He was the son of Charles Smith, a road labourer, and his wife Esther Ann. The family lived at The Pavement.
He is probably the Ernest Smith, 19, born Brewood, who was working as a domestic gardener at Tettenhall in 1901 but by 1911 he had joined the Army and was serving in India with the 4th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment.
At the outbreak of war the 4th Battalion were in Burma. They arrived back in England at the start of February 1915 and sailed for Gallipoli at the end of March. Ernest landed at Cape Helles with his battalion on 25th April. Having survived the landing and the weeks of heavy fighting that followed, Ernest was killed in action on 6th August 1915. He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial.
Private Ernest Charles Smith 10728 was awarded the Victory and British War Medals and the 1914/15 Star.
This memorial has mostly been compiled from official sources. It would be good to be able to expand it with more personal material - memories, stories, photos, etc. If you have any suitable material or any corrections please contact Greg.