2nd Lieutenant (temp), Royal Sussex Regiment, 12th Battalion
Killed in action on 18 October 1916, aged 23
CWGC: "Son of G. and Laura Smith-Howard, of 33, Macaulay Rd., Clapham Common, London. Educated at Oxford. An Ordination candidate."
Remembered at Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France
National Archives British Army Officers service records
Kenneth Overend Smith-Howard (or Smith Howard) signed up on 20 September 1915 at 10 Stone Buildings, Lincoln's Inn, London WC. He served in the Inns of Court OTC (at Berkhamsted) until 31 May 1916 when he resigned to a temporary commission in the Royal Sussex Regiment.
He was then 22 and 8 months old, just over 5 feet 7 and nearly 10 stone. He wore glasses (his left eye was not good) and he had good physical development. He described himself as a student at Pembroke College, Oxford. His military character was described as "very good".
How Smith-Howard met his death was the subject of dispute. No less than six witness accounts are lodged in his service file:
2nd Lt C. Strickland, who was in the 5th Southern General Hospital, Fawcett Road, Portsmouth, said that "on Oct 24th at Thiepval, I was within 200 yards of 2nd Lieut. Smith-Howard when he was killed by a shell when we were moving forward in the trenches." Strickland was an eyewitness.
Private Clifford Mead, who was in No 2 Temporary Hospital, Exeter, said that at Thiepval he "saw Lieut Smith-Howard killed by a shell." He described Smith Howard has "short, fair". He was an eyewitness.
Private Walls, who was in No. 11 General Hospital, Etaples, said: "Private Simmons, a friend of mine, was talking to me about this officer who was a little man with glasses. They were coming out of the line together when a shell struck Mr. Smith-Howard and killed him. Simmons was near him when this happened."
H. Turner, giving evidence from the Baltic Hospital, Etaples, said: "I new him well. He was a very good officer. When we were being relieved, he volunteered to stop and see the m[achine] gunners relieved. I saw him as we left the trench. I heard Lt. Booth say afterwards that Mr. Smith-Howard had been blown to pieces by a shell. I don't think it was possible to bury him."
Private Charles Pilcher, who was in the Red Cross War Hospital on Grove Road, Balham, said that "2nd Lieut. SMith-Howard was killed on October 17th about 6 p.m. They were waiting for reliefs, which did not come and the Lieut. asked informant if he knew the way to Headquarters which he did. They started to walk and got about half way, when the Lieutenant was killed by a shell, which also hit the informant who was walking behind him." Eyewitness account.
Private Clement Cumberledge, who was in the Military Hospital at Herne Bay, stated that "on Oct 14th at Schwaben Redoubt was the last time he saw Lt. Smith-Howard. A charge was made on the 14th October and Lt Smith-Howard went to help the Machine Gunners and he was blown to pieces." He further stated that "Pte Stephen Rootes... was sending home Lt Smith-Howard's kit to his people. There were many casualties and the action was very severe."
He described Smith-Howard as "5 feet 8 inches, fair, no scars, no nickname, clean-shaven, young."
The official day of death was given as 18 October. Wilfrid Smith-Howard, Kenneth's brother, was also serving as a 2nd Lt in the Royal Sussex Regiment.
Information from the 1911 census
In 1911 Kenneth Overend Smith-Howard was an 18-year-old student, sharing 10 rooms at 33 Macaulay Road, Clapham with his parents and older brother. George Smith-Howard, 59, was a stationer, born in Paddington, central London. 55-year-old Laura Smith-Howard's birthplace is given only as Middlesex. Henry Wilfred Smith-Howard, 23, was born in Clapham, as was Kenneth. Henry's occupation is given as "none". Florence Isabel Chinnick, 35, a single domestic servant from Bath, lived with the family.