First World War Commonwealth War Grave - Corporal Ronald Victor Smith, Royal Air Force

War Grave of Corporal Ronald Smith.
All Saint's Churchyard, Maidenhead, Berkshire.

 

 

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them".

 

 

Ronald Victor Smith was born in Maidenhead Berkshire in 1893 to Issac Smith, a builder's foreman, and Louisa Morgan.

In 1901 the eight-year-old Ronald is living at 60 All Saint's Avenue, Maidenhead, Berkshire with his parents and his older sisters Elsie May, and Blanche Maude.

On Friday 23rd November 1906 little Ronald broke his arm. The Maidenhead Advertiser reported on Wednesday 28th November 1906:

Broken Arm. - A lad names Ronald Smith, living at All Saint's-avenue, broke one of the bones in his left arm on Friday last. with some other lads, Smith, after school, went to Kidwell's-park, and indulged in a game of football. In a rush, another and heavier lad fell upon Smith and the latter in putting forward his arm to save to fall, doubled the limb under him, with the above result. He was taken to the surgery of Drs. Plumbe and Montgomery, where he received surgical attention." 

In the June of 1907 Ronald's father Isaac passed away.

 

1911, aged 18, Ronald is living with his aunt and uncle, George Henry, and Amelia Knott, along with his brother Sydney Herbert Smith, at 31 Bristow Road, Hounslow, Middlesex.  At that time Ronald's occupation was listed as an electrician. Ronald's widowed mother and two sisters remained at 60 All Saint's Avenue in Maidenhead.

 

Sometime after 1911, Ronald enlisted with the Royal Air Force and was stationed at 5th Aeroplane Repair Depot in Henlow. On the 18th November 1918 Ronald was transferred from Henlow to hospital where Ronald was to pass away from pneumonia on 28th November 1918, just seventeen days after the end of the war.