Muchty Remembers

Born: 22 August 1892, Seggie (Guardbridge), Leuchars, Fife.

Son of James H & Martha Martin Smith, Dunshelt, Auchtermuchty, Fife..

Army Number: 1452

Rank: Private

Regiment: 2nd Battalion Royal Highlanders (The Black Watch).

Died: Died 14 March 1917, Basra, Iraq.

Buried: Basra Memorial. Pier 25 and 63.

War Memorial. Church Plaque.  Church Roll. Photograph. Dunshelt Hall Memorial.

 

On the War Memorial and Photograph he appears as J Smith, Royal Highlanders. On the Memorial plaque and Church Roll he appears as private James H Smith. In the Dunshelt Hall Memorial he appears as James H Smith.

In the Photograph he wears a feather bonnet and dark hackle.

 

James H Smith was the second son of James Hamilton Smith, 1865-1937, born in Cupar, Fife, and Martha Melville Martin, 1859-1921, born Dunfermline. 

James H Smith was born at Seggie, (Guardbridge), Leuchars, where his father was domsetic coachman to the Haig family.  The Haigs had established a distillery at Seggie, but converted it into a paper mill in 1870.

In 1881, James H Smith, senior, was a compositor, living with his parents at 1 Burnside, Cupar. In 1901, James H Smith, senior, was an engineman, living at 35 Victoria St, Kirkcaldy, with his wife Martha, and four children, Thomas, 18, carpet weaver, Martha, 16, pattern setter, Jessie, 14, dressmaker's scholar, and James H, 8, scholar. 

In 1911 James H Smith had moved to Dunshelt, Auchtermuchty, where he was a mason, labourer, living with his wife, Martha M.M, two daughters, Jessie, 24, and Maggie, 15, both linen weavers. There was also a grandson, James H Reid, 3, born in Edinburgh.

James H Smith, junior, did not appear in the 1911 Census. He was overseas, in India, with 2nd Battalion The Black Watch.

 

James H Smith was the grandson of Thomas Smith, 1840-1911, born in Leven, Fife, and Jessie Pratt, 1843-1921.  Thomas Smith had ten children, of whom James Hamilton Smith was the second. In 1851, Thomas Smith was living at North St, Scoonie, Leven, with his parents, Thomas Smith, 18108-1868, and Catherine Walker, 1812-1861. On 7 June 1861 he married Jessie Pratt, in St Andrews. In 1881 Thomas Smith was an Hostler, living at 1 Burnside, Cupar, Fife, with his wife and children. In 1891 Thomas Smith was an Hostler, living at Castlefield, Cupar, with his wife, Jessie, and children, David, 15, Grace, 8, and Jessie 4.  In 1911 Thomas Smith was living at 20 Castlefield, Cupar, with his wife Jessie. He was described as a Retired Prosingwase (?) He died in Cupar on 11 September 1911.

 

James H Smith joined the Army, serving with 2nd Battalion The Black Watch, in India. In October 1914 the Battalion was brought back to France, where James H Smith served on the western front. He was back in Dunshelt in May 1915, on furlough.

ON FURLOUGH - Private James Smith, 2nd Black Watch, son of Mr James H Smith, Dunshalt, has been home from the trenches on leave this week. As he came with the regiment from India to France in October, and has been almost continuously in the trenches since, he has seen much stubborn fighting, but he is of too reticent as nature to spin long yarns of the deeds of valour done. For some time he fought beside the 7th Black Watch, and came in contact with the 'Muchty lads in it. Since then, however, the seventh have been transferred to another sphere of activity, and lately he has not come in touch with men from this locality. Smith, though several times down with fever, has escaped without a wound. Fife News. 22 May 1915.

NEWS FROM THE FRONT - This week a Dunshalt gentleman received a very optimistic letter from his son, who is serving in the Black Watch. Coming from India with his regiment in the early days of the war, he has been in the fighting line practically ever since. He has seen many of his companions fall in the months that have gone, and this week's letter tells of further heavy fighting, in which one chum has been killed and another wounded. So far, however, he himself has come through scathless, and he writes cheerily to his parents of how he anticipates his return to the old home when at length the war is ended. Fife News. 18 September 1915.

In December 1915 the 2nd Battalion The Black Watch embarked from Marseilles arriving at Basra on 31 December. It formed part of the 21st Indian Brigade in the 7th Indian Division. It was involved in actions throughout 1916, at Sheik Sa'ad, the Battle of Wadi, the Battle of Hanna, the Battle of Dujailia, the Battle of Sannaiyat and the fall of Kut. In February 1916 2nd Battalion The Black Watch transferred to the 19th Brigade and absorbed 1st Battalion Seaforth Highlanders, due to heavy casualties. In July 1916 it transferred back to the 21st Indian Brigade and participated in the capture of Baghdad in March 1917.

James H Smith was killed in Mesopotamia on 3 March 1917. He was buried at Basra War Cemetery.

 

James H Smith's youngest sister, Maggie, died in Auchtermuchty in 1973.