Thomas Smith was born on 13 August 1889, son of George Frederick and Mary Overall Smith who owned the milling and bakery business in Mill Road. Tom did not, however, join the family in the business, but went into the building industry. He moved to London and worked for the large firm of Higgs and Hill until volunteering for the Army in 1914.

Tom joined "The Buffs" - the East Kent Regiment. July 1915 his Division went to France to join the British Expeditionary Force. On 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, the Division attacked south and west of the village of Montauban and secured all of its objectives for the day. During July and August the Division was engaged in fighting around Bazentin and Delville. Thomas was wounded in the foot around this time. There is a letter from Tom to Frances Unwin (Tom's sister) dated 10 August 1916 and sent from a military hospital in France. It confirms the family story that his mother Mary Overall Smith visited him in hospital in France when he was not expected to live. It is believed that Gangrene developed and that most of Tom's left leg was amputated; his Service record suggests that this happened on 27 August 1916.

Tom was "Posted" back to the UK on 13th September, 1916 and continued his convalescence at a hospital in Leeds. He was discharged "Being no longer physically fit for War Service Para 392 (XVI) King's Regs" on 30th June, 1917. Thomas was at "West Mersea Mills" in July 1917 when he was issued with a Silver War Badge "to be worn on the right breast or lapel" but not in military uniform. The badge showed that the wearer had been honourably discharged from the Army because of wounds.

Tom married Helen Mary Cooke, eldest daughter of Horace Leopold Brand Cooke and Anna Cock on 7th April 1920 in Ipswich. The family came from Mersea but had moved to Ipswich by the time Helen married. Horace was an oyster merchant.

Tom had set up his own firm in London after WW1, thought to be mainly providing internal fittings for shops and building. 1921 Tom and Helen had twin daughters Muriel and Edith, though sadly Edith did not survive.The family lived in South London, near the Oval Cricket Ground and later Stradella Road, Herne Hill.

In 1960 Tom and Helen retired to a new bungalow in West Mersea, "Stradella", now 43 Yorick Road. Helen died in 1974 and Tom died in 1979.

There is a detailed biography of Helen Cooke and Tom Smith in Alan Smiths story of the Smith family.
Tom Smith DRAFT 03 09 2013.pdf - opens in a new window.
See Tom Smith Military Records DRAFT 30 01 2014.pdf for Tom's military records.