SMITH, Wilfred Ernest

Wilfred Smith was the son of Enoch and Sophia Smith of 27 Ladysmith Road, Cradley, and attended Colley Lane school. He enlisted in the Berkshires and joined the 5th Battalion. In 1917 they were in the fighting at Arras and at Cambrai and were then faced by the 1918 German Spring Offensives. In the Advance to Victory they were involved in the August victories but the German forces were in retreat only to the Hindenburg Line. Their defence was still formidable. British morale, however, was high and the Berkshires' capture of Nurlu indicated this. But casualties were still taken and Private Wilfred Smith was killed in action on the 18th September. He was 26 years of age and is buried in Epehy Farm Cemetery (II G 5) and commemorated on the Cradley and Halesowen Memorials.