Description
Canada Memorial Cross, GV, in case of issue, Lieutenant LeRoy Herbert Smith, 59th (Ontario Regiment) Infantry Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force, from Napenee, Ontario.
Named on the reverse: “Lieut LeR. H. Smith.” Hallmarked Sterling on reverse.
An obituary from 1924:
“PASSED AWAY SUDDENLY
LeRoy Herbert Smith, son of the late Elias Smith, Morven, passed away suddenly at the home of his Mother in Napanee.
The deceased had been a sufferer from tuberculosis for 2 years, and though he spent last winter in the south for the benefit of his health, he did not succeed in recovering from it.
Mr Smith was 28 years of age and a member of the Union Lodge A.F. and A.M. and Argyll Lodge No 212, I.O.O.F. besides his mother, he leaves a brother in Boston and one in Napenee, H.W. Smith, V.S.”
LeRoy Herbert Smith was born on 17th August 1895 in Napanee, Ontario. The son of Elias and Marietta Smith. His family was Methodist and he worked as a Farmer in Ontario.
During the First World War, Lt Smith first signed up for 3 weeks training in 1916 with the 146th Battalion before joining the 59th Battalion for 1.5 years.
The Kingston Standard, 21st March 1916, notes,
The results of the last course at the Kingston Provisional School of Infantry are given out by Lieut Col D. Barrager, Commandant as follows… Qualified for the Rank of Lieutenant, L.H. Smith, 47th”
He was drafted back into the Army on May 16th 1918 whilst back home in Ontario to finish out the war with the 1st Depot Battalion, Eastern Ontario Regiment.
His papers note that he was active with the 47th Regiment Active Militia at the time.
His service records note that he had been inspected at Kingston, Ontario on 22nd October 1917 and the Doctor notice he had an appendectomy scar, which seems to be the cause of him ending his previous service, before being forced back by the Military Service Act in 1918.
He had some health problems noted in the report:
“Subjective:- He complains of being unable to do any heavy work, has had a cough during the spring but it has been better during the summer. Also had night sweats Last Spring 1918. Objective:- Man has marked retardation of the right Apex, marked depression under both clavicles, poor chest expansion. Breathing in right apex roughened and indistinct. Slight dullness, no rales in any part of the chest, Poor physique, History of cough and night sweats.”
Like many soldiers, he seems to have caught Tuberculosis during the War which effected him during the last years of his life, before he died at home in Napanee, Ontario on 9th July 1924, aged only 28 years 11 months, buried in Morven.
