L-Cpl Jesse Hugh Smith, 42775, 14th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, was killed in action at Bailleul in France on April 19th, 1918.

An officer wrote to tell his mother, Ann Louisa Smith at 34 Peach Street, Luton, that her son was killed by shell fire while carrying rations from the transport waggon to the dug-out. A piece of shell penetrated his heart and death was instantaneous.

The officer added that L-Cpl Smith was buried at Mont Noir, near Bailleul, in a shady spot in the grounds of a chateau.

Born in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, in 1891, Jesse Smith was working as a carpenter in London before he joined up in 1916. He was living in Forest Gate, having married Staffordshire girl Lena Done at Fulham Register Office on July 10th, 1915. Sadly, Lena died from tuberculosis at the age of 26 on September 25th, 1917. Jesse was at her side, according to her death certificate, which carried her name as Leonora Smith.

Jesse's own father, also named Jesse, had died in 1904. The younger Jesse was living with his mother (known as Louisa), a brother and two sisters at 34 Peach Street at the time of the 1911 Census.

He had been a member of Luton Liberal Club and the Rink Hockey Club, and had regularly attended Chapel Street Wesleyan Church.