GRACE UNITED CHURCH
Charles Smither
Smither, Charles 775565
Born: September 12, 1895 in Brampton, Ontario
Death: July 25, 1918
​
Rank: Private
Service No: 77565
Date of Death: 25/07/1918
Regiment/Service: Canadian Corps
Memorial: ETAPLES MILITARY CEMETERY
Grave Reference: LXVIII. F. 21.
Charles Smither enlisted on December 28, 1915 committing to one year of service in the CEF. On his attestation papers he lists his mother, Elizabeth Smither in Brampton, Ontario. He lists his profession as labourer and that he had no military experience before enlisting. He is initially placed with the 74th Bttn.
He is 5 foot, 8.5 inches in height, with a 37.5 inch chest and weighed 140 pounds. The doctors described him as having dark hair, brown eyes and having a dark complexion. He lists himself as Methodist. He is considered fit by the medical officer at the Brampton Camp on December 28th, so that is where he enlisted with the 126th Overseas Battalion.
When a civilian chose to enlist in World War One, they went to the local recruiting office and was asked a collection of questions that were then entered onto a document called, Attestation Papers.
What is your surname?
​
What are you Christian names?
​
What is your present address?
​
In What Town, Township or Parish and Country were you born
​
What is the name of your next of kin?
​
What is the address of your next of kin?
​
What is the relationship of your next of kin?
​
What is your date of birth?
​
What is your Trade or Calling?
​
Are you married?
​
Do you now belong to the Active Militia?
Smither
​
Charles
​
Brampton Ontario
​
Brampton Ontario
​
​
Elizabeth Smither
​
Brampton Ontario
​
Mother
​
Sept. 12th 1895.
​
Laborer
​
Single
​
No
​
​A soldier’s Attestation Papers were filled in on the day they walked in to join the military. They show family information at the time of enlistment and were signed by the soldier. These have been digitized by Library and Archives Canada.
Charles is commemorated on Page 504 of the First World War Book of Remembrance. The history of his battalion and of the other from Peel who served during World War One is covered in detail in the book by William Perkins Bull. "From Brock to Currie: the Military Development and Exploits of Canadians in General and of the Men of Peel in particular, 1791 to 1930." Toronto, 1935.
The Canada War Graves Registers – Circumstances of Casualty provides the information about how he died during the war. He was a Private with the Canadian Corp Survey Section. He died at the No. 22 General Hospital Camiers, France from bronchial pneumonia and tuberculosis pneumonia.
The Canada War Graves Registers – Burial Return (Concentration of Graves) shows that “SMITHER Pte. C” had been buried on the battlefield and was reburied at Vis-En-Artois British Cemetery, Haucourt on January 23, 1920. He is located in Plot 68, Row F, Grave 21.
The Imperial War Graves Commission Comprehensive report of Headstone Inscriptions shows that stone #3236 was of the 1202/1B design as shown here. Schedule B shows that there was a request by the family for a personal inscription to be included on the stone.
Line 1: ASLEEP IN JESUS
The slideshow displayed above includes all of the documents that I have found related to this soldier’s death. Click on the arrows on either side of the picture to move to the next picture or wait as it will change on its own. This slideshow may include a copy of his page in the Canadian Book of Remembrance; a page from the Brampton Book of Remembrance; from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission you may find a picture of this soldier’s CWGC Headstone, CWGC Certificate, CWGC War Graves Registry, CWGC Circumstance of Causality, and photos of the cemetery where he is commemorated.