Private John Smith, 6th Btn., Royal Scots Fusiliers - An Ordinary Life Cut Short
- Rank
- Lance Corporal
- Name
- JOHN SMITH
- Regiment
- Royal Scots Fusiliers
- Date of Death
- Died 26 September 1915
John was my grandfather. He was born in 1885 in Glasgow, grew up on the Gallowgate and lived there his whole life, until shipping out to the Western Front in May 2015 with the 6th Btn of the Royal Scots Fusiliers.
He left his wife Elizabeth (Bessie) at the house on London Street, with six year old Meg and three year old Johnnie (my dad) who would never know their father.
John and Bessie were married in December 1908. She lived a long life as a war widow, much beloved by her two children, and dying in 1959. Their marriage certificate lists John as a bookkeeper, then on my dad's birth certificate in 1913, John is listed as a fruit barrow hirer. John has grandchildren and great grandchildren in Scotland, Canada and Australia. Although we never knew him, the family holds John in our hearts.
Several of us have visited Dud Corner Cemetery in Loos-en-Gohelle, where he has a memorial plaque. His remains were never found.
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