Montague Smith

Story:
Montague Smith was born on 6th July 1889 in Shaftesbury, Dorset, and baptised on 28th July 1889 at Holy Trinity Church, the son of Harry and Mary Smith.  He lived his early life at 7 Mustons Lane, Shaftesbury, one of eleven children in the family.   He enlisted on 15th July 1907 and joined the 9th Lancers of Cavalry of the Line (Service No. 246) and later the 21st Lancers and served in South Africa.  He was discharged to reserves on 14th July 1914 only to be almost immediately embodied on 15th August 1914 as a Shoeing Smith Corporal (Service No. 41347).  He transferred to the Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry) and joined the 2nd Machine Gun Squadron of the Royal Tank Corps on 27th June 1916 and served in France.   He was discharged on 14 Jul 1919 having completed the terms of his engagement.  He was awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1914/15 Star.  He had married Eva Annie Wooders at St. Anselem Church, Streatham, Surrey, on 9th August 1917.  One child is recorded.  By the 1921 Census he was living at 11 Tavistock Crescest, Paddington, London, working as a Store Labourer. But by the 1939 Register he had moved to 86a Drayton Park, Willesden, Middlesex, working as a Bus Conductor.  He died on 21st November 1966 in the Brent, Middlesex, Registry area.

Montague's brother Harry Sidney (b.1869) also had a career in the army, with the Somerset Light Infantry.