British Victoria Cross Recipient. During the war in the Sudan against the forces of the Mahdi, he served as a Gunner in the Royal Regiment of Artillery. On January 17, 1885 at Abu Klea, the enemy charged and the square fell back a short distance, leaving an officer, named Lieutenant Guthrie, in an unprotected position. Because the Lieutenant was supervising his gun, he had no weapon in his hand at the time. A native rushed at Guthrie with a spear, but Gunner Smith warded off the thrust, with a gun hand-spike. This gave the Lieutenant time to draw his sword and bring the Sudani to his knees. As the assailant fell, he made a wild strike, with a long knife, at the officer. Gunner Smith warded this off, too, but the native managed to wound Guthrie in the thigh. Smith then used the hand-spike to kill the Sudani; unfortunately, a few days later, the Lieutenant died of his wounds. Alfred Smith's medal is on display at the Royal Artillery Museum in Woolwich, S.E. London. His grave was unmarked until 1986, when a tombstone was donated by the Co-Operative Movement.
British Victoria Cross Recipient. During the war in the Sudan against the forces of the Mahdi, he served as a Gunner in the Royal Regiment of Artillery. On January 17, 1885 at Abu Klea, the enemy charged and the square fell back a short distance, leaving an officer, named Lieutenant Guthrie, in an unprotected position. Because the Lieutenant was supervising his gun, he had no weapon in his hand at the time. A native rushed at Guthrie with a spear, but Gunner Smith warded off the thrust, with a gun hand-spike. This gave the Lieutenant time to draw his sword and bring the Sudani to his knees. As the assailant fell, he made a wild strike, with a long knife, at the officer. Gunner Smith warded this off, too, but the native managed to wound Guthrie in the thigh. Smith then used the hand-spike to kill the Sudani; unfortunately, a few days later, the Lieutenant died of his wounds. Alfred Smith's medal is on display at the Royal Artillery Museum in Woolwich, S.E. London. His grave was unmarked until 1986, when a tombstone was donated by the Co-Operative Movement.
Bio by: Iain MacFarlaine
Advertisement
See more Smith memorials in:
Records on Ancestry
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
