WARNEFORD FUNERAL

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

Austin Clifford Smith was born at Greenhill, Eastmoor close to Wakefield on the 26th of October 1891. He was one of 10 having 4 brothers and 5 sisters. His mother died in 1900 and his father worked in the pits for 30 years ending up as a manager.

Austin Smith enlisted in 1915 at the age of 24.One of his first duties as part of the Royal Naval Division was as a pallbearer for Captain Warneford VC on the 23/06/1915. Warneford specialised in downing Zeppelins and was in the Royal Flying Corps.

Austin is the 2nd pallbearer from the left.

After the funeral he was going to and fro to Gallipoli on what appears to be roughly 4 months tours. By the end of the Gallipoli campaign the Royal Naval Division transferred from the authority of the Admiralty to the War Office. On the 20th April 1916 Austin was redesignated to 63rd (Royal Navy) Division in the 2nd Battalion RMLI 7th Platoon B Company.
Austin married Hilda Annie Renshaw at St Johns Church in Forton Barracks, Gosport on Saturday 16th October 1915. They were allowed one night together.
Her father Sam Renshaw an engineer in the pits was the inventor of the machine that pumped fresh air around the mines.
What has been ascertained is that after the wedding Austin went to Mudros part of the Gallipolli Campaign from January to May 1916

A letter sent by Austin to Hilda from Mudros,his nickname for her was kid and below are the beads.
If you click on the images they will enlarge. This applies to all images on this blog

These are the prayer beads he sent to Hilda off a Turk in the Mudros region.
I think Austin had re-badged at this period of time to the ROYAL MARINE LIGHT INFANTRY as he was posted to France