- SURNAME
Smith
- FORENAME
Kenneth
- UNIT
LRDG Signal Section (M2 Patrol)
- RANK
Signalman
- NUMBER
2328696
- DATE OF DEATH
10th January 1945
- AGE
24
- GRAVESITE
Belgrade War Cemetery,Yugoslavia 6.D.9
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit Royal Corps of Signals
born 7.12.1920 Humby,Grantham,Lincolnshire (GC Register)
born Market Rasen,Lincolnshire (The Times Obituary)
resided Lincoln
son of Bertie and Alice Jane Smith,Louth,Lincolnshire
enlisted 23.1.1939
award George Cross (posthumous)
KIA when time-bomb exploded on island of Ist,Adriatic
DATE OF DEATH:
10-Jan-1945AWARD:
https://www.specialforcesroh.com/index.php?threads/smith-kenneth.27899/CITATION:
George Cross : On the night of 10th January, 1945, on the Island of IST in the Adriatic, Signalman SMITH was a member of a patrol of the Long Range Desert Group, which was attacked by saboteurs, who laid time-bombs in the vital houses of the Island. After hearing some shots Simalman SMITH entered the wireless room and found one such bomb on the table. Realising that there were a number of partisans in the room and young children elsewhere in the house, Signalman SMITH immediately picked up the bomb, which was ticking. He intended to move it to a place of safety behind a nearby wall, but he had only gone a few yards outside the house when the bomb exploded and he was blown to pieces.
There is no doubt that Signalman SMITH's action certainly saved the lives of many of his comrades, partisans and civilians, and that he showed superb courage and complete disregard for personal safety in lifting a time-bomb which was already ticking when he knew that it might explode at any moment.
There is no doubt that Signalman SMITH's action certainly saved the lives of many of his comrades, partisans and civilians, and that he showed superb courage and complete disregard for personal safety in lifting a time-bomb which was already ticking when he knew that it might explode at any moment.
WEB LINKS:
• https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7379090FINDAGRAVE:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56407773/kenneth-smithSERVICE HISTORY:
Name: K Smith . Service number: 2328696 . Date of birth: 7 December 1920 . | The National Archives
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discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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