Name

Rowland Smeeth.

Description

Newspaper Photograph of Private Rowland Smeeth.

Life Story

Name: Rowland/Roland Smeeth.

Service Number: 11445.

Rank: Private.

Battalion: 5th Battalion.

Regiment: Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.

Born: 8th July 1865, Belfast.

Died: 25th August 1915.

Address: 69 Paris Street, Belfast

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Rowland Smeeth, son of Rowland and Catherine Smeeth, lived with his wife at 69 Paris Street, Shankill, Belfast

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Rowland married widow Jane Smeeth, Nee Jordan, Nee Mills, on the 10th April 1894 within Saint Anne's Church of Ireland Church Belfast

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The 1901 Ireland Census has Rowland's wife and stepdaughter Annie Jordan living at 111 Conlig Street, Shankill, Belfast

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The 1911 Ireland Census has Rowland living at 111 Conlig Street, Shankill, Belfast with his wife Jane. His occupation at this time is given as General Labourer

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Rowland was a member of the Orange Order, Blue Banner L.O.L 1914.

Rowland signed the Ulster Covenant on the 28th of September 1912, Ulster Day, within Belfast City Hall

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Short Service Attestation documents show Rowland as having served within the Royal Irish Rifles, and then reenlisted into the East Yorkshire Regiment in Beverly on the 2nd October 1884.

He was posted to Gibraltar on the 17th March 1885.

Then to the West Indies on the 13 November 1886.

Before being posted to South Africa on the 23rd October 1888.

Rowland then arrived home on the 2nd August 1892.

Rowland was finally Discharged on the 1st October 1896, having served 12 years.

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Rowland joined the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.

He was posted as part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force on 10th July 1915.

Rowland was a Private in 5th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he Died Of Wounds aboard Hospital Ship Soudan and was buried at sea on the 25th August 1915 aged 50 years.

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A local newspaper states

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Private ROWLAND SMEETH

5th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, whose death was reported in our columns a few days ago, was the second son of the late Mr Rowland Smeeth, drawing master, Mosel School, Belfast, for many years. Private Smeeth early evinced a taste for soldiering, and as a youth joined the East Yorkshire Regiment and saw service in the East Indies. Subsequently he was employed by Messrs Harland And Wolff, but he joined the Irish Yeomanry during the Boar War, and saw a great deal of service, winning the Queens Medal, with five bars. On returning to civilian life he was again employed on the Queens Island, and on the outbreak of the present war was one of the first Ulstermen to volunteer for active service by joining the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. He was severely wounded at the Dardanelles, and died on the hospital ship Soudan, being buried at sea. Two brothers of the deceased are at present serving with the colours, viz, Rifleman James Smeeth, 15th Battalion, R.I.R, Bramshott, and Sergeant Daniel Murray Smeeth, also of the R.I.R, has been at the front for 11 months. Mrs Rowland Smeeth now resides with her married daughter at 67 Berlin Street

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Another states

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BELFAST CASUALTIES.

The War Office has officially notified Mrs Smeeth, 69 Upper Paris Street, that her husband, Private Rowland Smeeth, 5th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, was killed in the Dardanelles on the 25th ult, by a bullet through his right breast. Private Smeeth served eighteen months in the Imperial Yeomanry during the South African Wart, and he re-joined the army on the outbreak of the war. He was a member of St Marys Parish Church, and of the Blue Banner L.O.L 1914, and was employed at the Queens Island prior to the war. A brother is serving in the trenches in France, and a second one with the Royal Irish Rifles at Aldershot

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A third states

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Mrs Smeeth, 69 Paris Street, has been notified that her husband , Private Rowland Smeeth, 5th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, has died of wounds received at Dardanelles, and has been buried at sea. Deceased was an Orangeman, joined early in the war. His married daughter lives at 67 Berlin Street.

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Rowland's Soldiers Effects were left to his widow.

A Dependant Pension Application Form shows his widow as claimant.

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See brother also: 1105 Rifleman James Burrows Smeeth 15th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles.

See brother also: 4643 Sergeant Daniel Murray Smeeth 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles.

See nephew also: 31470 Private William Smeeth 4th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

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Rowland received the British War Medal, Victory Medal and 1914-1915 Star.

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He is Remembered at Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey.

To Remember Is To Honour

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