William Alexander Ivory SMITH letter of death from Commander Hutton, Cover page: Thrale & Thrall family history

Thrale history

A hand-written letter from Commander G F Hutton dated 6 October 1915 describing William's army in-service death, and his (incorrect) place of burial.

« page Cover 1 2 3 4 page »

A complete transcription of the entire letter is provided below. Each handwritten page, along with its corresponding transcription, is displayed on the pages: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4

See also: hand-written letter from Force Chaplain Johnson.

Commanding Officer letter - all pages transcribed.

Oct 6. 1915

Cockglode
Ollerton
Notts
England

Dear Madam

I was on board the same ship (SS Franconia) as your son W.A. Smith when he died of his wounds, received in action Aug 21; at the Dardanelles while attacking a hill held by the Turks and known as KAIAJIK BAIR.

This hill we took after a lot of hand fighting in which the Canterbury

Mounted Rifles suffered very severely, being reduced I heard afterwards to 15 men and no officers.

I made enquiries as to why your son was buried. I was not able to go there myself owing to my own wound. But the Garrison Chaplin at Gibraltar, at which place his body was landed for burial, wrote me that

He was buried in the cemetery there, and that if the relatives should like to place any stone on the grave, the Secretary of the Cemetery would willingly undertake to see to the carrying out of the work by a farm of monumental masons in Gibraltar, who were to be relied on.

I send you my sincere sympathy in your sad

loss.

Yours sincerely

G. F. Hutton.

Owner of original

File name

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Folio version

v15.0.0.38 (B241216-032904)

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William Alexander Ivory Smith