NOT FORGOTTEN: 1914 – (2) 2nd Lieutenant Donald Seymour Smyth

2^nd Lieutenant Donald Seymour Smyth

3 (att 2) Battalion Royal Irish Regiment.

Killed in action: 19^th October 1914, Le Pilly, Aubers Ridge, France.

 

Donald Seymour Smyth was born at 73 St Stephens Green Dublin on the 5^th November 1893, the youngest son of Edward Weber Smyth JP and Elizabeth Anna Smyth. Donald had an older brother Reginald Osborne Smyth, a doctor who joined the RAMC. There were also eight children from an earlier marriage. The two boys lived with their mother and father in a large house “Cuil-Min” 56 Sydney Avenue, Blackrock and the family were parishioners of St Philip and St James’. The Smyths were a prosperous business family who owned the high class grocery and wine shop “Smyths of the Green” on St Stephens Green.

Donald was educated at St Stephen’s Green School, St Andrew’s College and Elstow School in Bedfordshire. He entered Trinity College in 1911 and was a member of the OTC. On the outbreak of war in 1914, he applied for a commission with the Royal Irish Regiment which was granted on the 15^th August.

Gazetted to the 3^rd Battalion RIR, Donald embarked for France on the 11^th September 1914. He was attached to the 2^nd Battalion RIR as part of a new draft sent out to replace casualties from earlier fighting.

On the 17^th October 1914, the 2^nd Battalion took the villages of Aubers and Fromelles near La Bassee, south west of Lille. This engagement with the enemy was largely unopposed and there were few casualties, but on the 19^th October 1914 it would be a different story. The Battalion stormed the tiny village of Le Pilly a few miles from Aubers Ridge, which they held and entrenched. However the Battalion was now dangerously exposed due to the failure by the French to take the village of Fournes.

The next day was wet and misty when the whole length of the allied line was attacked by five-and-a-half German Divisions. This attack was largely successful and the 2^nd RIR now found themselves isolated and surrounded. Outnumbered three to one, savage hand-to-hand fighting ensued all through the night but the outcome was inevitable.

170 Officers and men of the 2^nd Royal Irish Regiment were killed in action between the 19/20 October at Le Pilly. Among the dead was young South Dubliner Lieut Donald Seymour Smyth. He was just 20 years of age.

Lieutenant Donald Seymour Smyth has no known grave. He is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.

 

Michael Lee

October 2014