Smyth, David
Rifleman
No. 18802, ‘B’ Company, 13th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Killed in action on Saturday 1 July 1916 (aged 26)
No known grave
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Thiepval Memorial, France (Pier and Face 15 A and 15 B)
Comber and District War Memorial
Brother of Rifleman John Dickson Smyth (No. 18786)
BIOGRAPHY
In some records his surname is spelt Smith.
David Smyth was born on 3 November 1889 in High Street, Comber and he was a son of David and Elizabeth Smyth (nee Dickson) who were married on 24 July 1886 in Granshaw Presbyterian Church Comber. David Smyth, a flax-dresser from Comber, was a son of James Smyth, a labourer. Elizabeth Dickson from Comber was a daughter of John Dickson, a labourer.
David and Elizabeth Smyth had six children including:
James (born 6 August 1887 in High Street, Comber)
David (born 3 November 1889 in High Street, Comber)
Maria Lucinda (born 20 November 1892 in High Street, Comber)
John Dickson (born 28 April 1896 in High Street, Comber)
Robert (born around 1899)
The Smyth family lived in High Street, Comber and then in Mill Street, Comber.
David was the first of the two brothers to be killed in action.
David Smyth enlisted in Comber, he served with the 13th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles in 108th Brigade of the 36th (Ulster) Division and he was 26 when he was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.
Initially Rifleman David Smyth (No. 18802) was reported as missing in action and in July 1917 it was officially confirmed that he must be presumed to have been killed in action. Less than one month later the Smyth family heard the news that their son John had also been killed in action.
Rifleman David Smyth (No. 18802) is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in France and on Comber and District War Memorial.