William's Story.
William Smith was born in Birkenhead in 1889, one of the seven surviving children of Alexander, a boot/shoe maker and Mary Smith, both originally from Scotland. Alexander had previously served with the Black Watch. On the 1891 census the family lived at 275 Price Street, Birkenhead. By the next census in 1901 they had moved a few houses down to 235 Price Street. William was educated at St. Anne’s School, Birkenhead.William married Margaret Cavanagh (Kavanagh) in 1906 at St. Nicholas’ Church, Liverpool and according to his marriage certificate his occupation was a miller. The 1911 census showed that he and his wife resided at 25 Cottage Street, Birkenhead with their three children Elizabeth, Margaret and Mary. They would go on to have another three children, William, Ellen and Agnes.
William worked initially for Buchanan’s Flour Mills, Seacombe where he became a professional miller. So much so when another flour mill company, Messrs. Bannatyne and Russell based in Limerick needed a miller William’s name was put forward and he moved to work in Ireland in about 1913. Indeed, one of his daughters, Ellen was born in Limerick so we can assume the family joined him there for a period.
Following the outbreak of the First World War William Smith joined the 9th Battalion of The Royal Munster Fusiliers. He arrived in France on 19th December 1915. In April 1916 William, now a sergeant, was with his battalion based around the Loos area and on the 29th of that month they were in the trenches at Puits 14 Bis. The Germans launched a bombardment on the front line and during that action William was killed. His widow Margaret was awarded a war pension.
In 1919, Margaret remarried to Thomas Loughran and they had more children together.
Birkenhead News Report May 1916
Williams’ elder brother James also served during the war as a sergeant in the 9th Lancers.
Research and newspaper article by Chris Booth