2nd Lieutenant Charles Home Cecil SMITH
Royal Garrison Artillery

Date of birth: 8th May 1889
Date of death: 1st April 1968

Survived aged 78
Unknown
Charles Home Cecil Smith was born at Titsey on the 8th of May 1889 the second son of the Reverend Cecil Evan Smith, Rector of Titsey, and Rosamund Linda (nee Rushworth) Smith later of Villa Franca, Tiverton.

He was educated at Hazelwood School until July 1902 where he was a member of the 2nd Football XI in 1899. He was a member of the Cricket XI in 1901 and 1902 and was Head of School in 1902. The school magazine wrote of his 1901 cricket season: - "Has not yet fulfilled the promise made when he had slow easy bowling to play, but played one very good innings, and has doubtless many more in store for us. An energetic but not very safe field."

Of his 1902 cricket season they wrote: - "Had not yet carried out his promise of last year, but was going to do so if there had been another fine day."

On leaving the school the magazine wrote of him: - "....goes to Winchester, where he was taken Middle Part III. He has been head of the school, in both Elevens, a good golf player and actor, and A1 at athletics."

He went on to Winchester College where he was in Fearon’s House from September 1902 until being forced to leave at Christmas 1906 due to ill health. In 1907 he entered Trinity College Cambridge where he earned First Class honours in Natural Science in 1910. In September that year he went to Grenoble University to perfect his French. In January 1911 he went to Ekaterinsdar in Russia to work in the oil fields of Maikop returning in September 1911 to take the position of senior science master at the City of London School.

He was married by his father to Margaret Olive (nee Wainwright) on the 29th of June 1913 at St James’ Church, Titsey. Old Hazelwood boy, the Reverend Guy Vernon- Smith was among the officiating clergy. The couple honeymooned in Perthshire. They had a son, Peter H., born in 1913.

From 1912 he worked for the silk manufacturers, John Heathcote and Company of Tiverton. He became a director and manager of the company before leaving them in 1941.

In the summer of 1918 he was serving with the 28th (County of London) Battalion (Artists Rifles) in Brighton and, in a letter to the school, said he was hoping to receive a commission, which he duly received when he was commissioned in the Royal Garrison Artillery. During the Second World War he served as a member of the Royal Observer Corps.

After the war he was remarried to Eileen Gertrude (nee Ruegg) and, in 1946, he was living at "Green Top", The Rise, Elstree, in Hertfordshire. He retired in 1959 having worked in the textile and dyeing industries for his entire career

His brother, Captain Everard Cecil Smith 4th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, was killed in action on the 23rd of August 1914.

He died at 6 Piers Terrace, West Bay, Bridport in Dorset.
Went on to Winchester College

Back