Frank Wilmott Smith; Private, 68th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps.

Frank was born on 31st March 1884 in Melton. On 1st June 1907, he joined the staff of St Audry’s Hospital as an attendant, the third member of his family to work there. When war began, Frank did not enlist immediately, continuing to work at St Audry’s until 27th July 1915, when he and six other attendants all enlisted in the Royal Army Medical Corps, three of whom were to serve with him in the 68th Field Ambulance of the 22nd Division.

Less than six weeks later, Frank was on his way to France, landing in Le Havre on 7th September 1915. The 22nd Division was not to remain in France for long and, on 27th October, they boarded the SS Ascania, in Marseille, bound for Salonika where the 68th Field Ambulance would remain until the end of the war.

On 11th February 1919, Frank was back in England and encamped in Blackpool, awaiting demobilisation. During this time, he wrote to Henry Gaffney, the Steward of St Audry’s Hospital, asking to resume his post as an attendant, which he did on 24th March. Shortly after his return to work, he married Elizabeth Coupland who was a nurse and who also worked at St Audry’s. For his war service, Frank received the 1914-15 Star and the British War and Victory Medals.

Frank continued to work for St Audry’s until his retirement and, in 1939, he and Elizabeth were living at 3 Hackney Terrace. Frank died in 1969 and Elizabeth, in 1974.