Private Charles Smith.
6742 1st East Lancashire Regiment.
Murdered by his German Captors 30th July 1918, aged 33.
(Charles’s brother Harry was killed 24 April 1918.)
Charles was born about 1885 in Preston, the son of Charles and Mary Smith. In the 1891 census the family were living at 20 Sugar Field, Farnworth, Lancs. Charles 52 labourer, Mary 36, Charles 5, Lizzie 4, and Henry 1.
In the 1901 census the family were living at 2 St Pauls Gate, Burnley. Charles 46 labourer, Mary Jane 49, both born in Manchester, Charles 15 labourer, Elizabeth 14, Henry 11, Mary J 9, James 7, Hannah 3
In the 1911 census Charles (25) was living at 16 Hopwood St, Burnley with his sisters, Elizabeth (23), Mary Jane (19), Susannah (11) and brother James (17).
From the Burnley News dated 22nd Jan 1916: PRISONERS OF WAR IN GERMANY. BURNLEY COLLIER AND HIS COMRADES.
Private Charles Smith of the first East Lancashire (to the readers left), has sent to his sister, Mrs Smith of 27 Richard Street a photo of himself and two friends, all of whom are Prisoners of War in Germany. Private Smith, who before the war was a Collier at Clifton Pit, had previously served in the army, having been stationed in India and he had completed his period as a reservist, but signed on for another 4 years. When the war broke out he was called up and was wounded and taken prisoner on September 18th 1914. During his period of captivity he has been engaged in working in the fields. Private Smith joined the army during the Boer War, but was too young to go to the front at that time. His relatives here do not know the other two men on the photo, but perhaps they will be recognised by their friends.
From The Express and Advertiser dated 27th May 1916: BURNLEY PRISONERS OF WAR. ST CATHERINE'S CHURCH FUND.
Last Sunday 18s 6.5d was received from the congregation of St. Catherine's to the Prisoners of War fund. 11s from the employees of the Barden Mill Company per Miss Holdsworth, and 3s 10.5d from the employees of Messrs' Birley's Lodge Mill per Mr Tattersall making a total for last week of £1 13s 5d. Parcels have this week been sent to several Burnley men including Private Charles Smith.
From the Burnley News dated 4 January 1919: HAMMERED TO DEATH. BURNLEY MINER’S FATE WHILE A WAR PRISONER.
The true story of the murder of a British prisoner of war has at last reached this country through his repatriated companions. The victim is Private Charles Smith, whose sister lives at 27 Richard Street Burnley. It had previously been reported from semi -official sources that "in a quarrel with German workmen he received a shot in the forehead, which setup inflammation of the brain." He was afterwards conveyed to hospital at Chemnitz, where he died on 31st July, and he was buried in the cemetery at Chemnitz.
How the death did occur is recorded in a letter which Private R Redburn, 24, Street, Mile End London, has sent to Miss Smith. In it he says. "I write these few lines to you to tell you all about poor Charlie. It was no good me telling you this whilst I was in Germany, because I knew that you would not get it. On the 27th July, myself and Charlie were together. We were not working owing to the Germans being on strike. We were supposed to be on night work at the time. About 10:30 p.m. Four of the foremen came up to us and asked us what we were doing there. We told them we had no place to go to work at as they were all on strike. All of a sudden they started to knock us about. They sent me one way and Charlie the other. I came back, and saw a man knocking Charlie about with a hammer they carry with them. There saw me, and came after me, but I got away in the dark. I waited for an hour, and went back again, and found poor Charlie lying on the ground bleeding from the head. When I helped to take him to the civilian hospital, and helped to bathe him, I noticed bruises all over his back, caused by this particular Foreman. His name I could not find out but that will not stop us from bringing him to Justice. I am now writing to the Home Secretary, and hope they will have no mercy on the man."
Private C Smith who was 32 years of age, first joined the army as long ago as 1902, intending to take part in the Boer War, but he was then too young. At the outbreak of the present war he was a reservist, and was called up on August 4th 1914. He was immediately drafted out to France, and was taken prisoner on September 18th 1914. His brother Private Harry Smith, who was shot in action in the early part of last year, had like himself served right from the beginning. Formerly Charles was a miner at Clifton Colliery and was one of the magnificent band of St Mary's Church men who have laid down their lives.
From The Express and Advertiser dated 8th January 1919: DONE TO DEATH. BRUTALITY TO A BURNLEY PRISONER.
On November 16th last we recorded the sad news received by the sisters and brothers of Private Charles Smith, 6742, 1st East Lancashire Regiment, of 27 Richard Street Burnley, who after being a prisoner 3 years and 11 months in Germany, died there on July 30th. The information came through the British Red Cross Society (Prisoners of War Committee) on October 31st, stating that Private Smith died at Chemnitz from "meningitis".
At the time letters were received from fellow prisoners notifying the death, these being from Private W Redburn of the Middlesex Regiment, and Private J Connolly of the 2/4 East Lancashire Regiment, but they gave at the time no details. But the release of prisoners has led to information which shows that Private Charles Smith was the victim of a brutal assault.
At liberty now to tell the truth, Private Redburn, of 24 Commodore Street, Mile End, London, has written as follows to Mrs Smith: "I write these few lines to you to tell you all about poor Charlie. It was no good me telling you this whilst I was in Germany, because I knew that you would not get it. On the 27th July, myself and Charlie were together. We were not working owing to the Germans being on strike. We were supposed to be on night work at the time. About 10:30 p.m. Four of the foremen came up to us and asked us what we were doing there. We told them we had no place to go to work at as they were all on strike. All of a sudden they started to knock us about. They sent me one way and Charlie the other. I came back, and saw a man knocking Charlie about with a hammer they carry with them. There saw me, and came after me, but I got away in the dark. I waited for an hour, and went back again, and found poor Charlie lying on the ground bleeding from the head. When I helped to take him to the civilian hospital, and helped to bathe him, I noticed bruises all over his back, caused by this particular Foreman. His name I could not find out but that will not stop us from bringing him to Justice. I am now writing to the Home Secretary, and hope they will have no mercy on the man."
The late Private Charles Smith was called up on the reserve on August 4th 1914, and went immediately to France, where he was wounded and taken prisoner on September 18th 1914. He was 32 years of age and attended St Mary's RC Church Burnley. Formerly he was a miner at Clifton Colliery. He had served 8 years in the army before being called up on reserve having first enlisted in 1902.
It was a sad coincidence that he died on the same day that news reached him in Germany of the death of his brother Harry, in action on April 24th 1918.
Lived at 27 Richard Street.
Charles left his effects to his sister Mary Jane Smith.
Charles was buried in Berlin South Western Cemetery, Germany: Grave Ref; V.F.9. Brother of Miss E. Smith, of 27, Richard St., Fulledge, Burnley.