Family :

Education & Career :

William received his medical education in Ireland, and became the Government Medical Officer in British Guiana for 25 years.

He was living at Radnor Lodge, High Street, Bathford from 1911 to 1916 and was a G.P.

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

Accidents were a minor factor in the casualty list. Our definition is deaths resulting from activities that were not directly associated with 'active service'. We have excluded Naval Accidents which are seperately identified because of their numbers and impact. Many accidents involved the aviators, operating at the the limits of technology.

Detail :

He died as a result of a road accident.

He was buried at Stratton Strawless (St Margaret) Churchyard, Norfolk

R.A.M.C. OFFICER’S TRAGIC DEATH. ROAD COLLISION AT STRATTON STRAWLESS.
An inquest was held at the Manor House, Cawston, on Monday, before Mr. W.M. Barton, Coroner for the Liberty of the Duchy of Lancaster, on the body of Captain William Francis Smartt, R.A.M.C., whose death took place at the Manor House Red Cross Hospital on Saturday.

Lieut. F.M.B. Smartt said deceased was his father, Captain William Francis Smartt, R.A.M.C., his home address being Bathford, where he was in practice before the war. He was a retired Colonial official, and his age was 55 years. Witness saw him frequently during his (illness?), and he told witness shortly how the accident happened, and did not blame any-one. Witness was satisfied it was a pure accident. Deceased died on Saturday morning at five o’clock.

George Ebenezer Blackman, a trooper, said he was in a regimental motor lorry on 4th December, passing along the Norwich Road at Stratton Strawless at five o’clock in the afternoon. Trooper Daniels was driving the lorry, and Lieutenant-Quartermaster Chapman was also in the lorry. They had lights and were going through Stratton Strawless Woods. It was very dark and raining. Witness heard a shout, followed by a smash, but they had not seen anyone. Directly afterwards they found they had run into something. They were going about ten miles per hour. The motor was pulled up instantly, and witness ran back to see what had happened. They found Captain Smartt lying on the road, and a light trap with both shafts broken near. The captain asked witness who he was, and he told him a Rough Rider, when he said, “Thank God.” Witness went back for Lieutenant Chapman, and they put the captain into the lorry and took him to the Cawston Red Cross Hospital. The only remark the captain made during the journey was, “Hold my head up; my legs are giving way.” There were no lights on the trap. They were driving on the near side. The trap was approaching on the off side.
A Juror – You think the accident was caused through there being no lights on the trap?
Witness – Yes, sir.
Charles English, another trooper, said he was with Captain Smartt in the trap. Deceased was driving. They had no lights. They thought they would have been home before lighting up time. It was just before five o’clock, and they were passing through Stratton Strawless Woods . It was very dark and raining. Witness saw the lorry approaching. It had two lights. He mentioned it to Captain Smartt, who pulled on to the side of the road. He said “Do you think they will see us?” They both shouted, the lorry being then about twenty yards off. The lorry hit the off side of the cart, breaking both shafts off, and they were thrown to the ground. Witness was not hurt. The deceased could not move, and witness pulled him to the side of the road, and the men with the lorry came and lifted him on and drove him to the hospital.
Captain Harold Edward Gibson, R.A.M.C., said he had attended Captain Smartt since the accident. He was suffering from partial dislocation of the fifth and sixth cervical vertebra and was absolutely paralysed from his shoulders downwards. A slight operation was performed to relieve the pain, but the case was practically hopeless from the first. He died from exhaustion and the result of the injuries.
The jury returned a verdict that the deceased died from injuries caused by accidental collision between the vehicle in which he was driving, and a regimental army lorry driven by Cecil Rowland Daniels.
Police-constable Richard Redgrave attended on behalf of the police, and the jury gave their fees to the Red Cross Society.

Masonic :

Entered the English Constituition from The Irish Constitution Lodge 308 in 1899. Joined Union Lodge No. 247 at Georgetown, Demerara, listed as a Medical Practitioner and went on to join Royal Sussex Lodge No. 53 listed as a Surgeon, in 1913. Royal Sussex contribution record shows "Killed Feb / 16."

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley
• Website : Province of Somerset List