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www.cornard.info |
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Denzil Mitford H. Heriz-Smith |
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Page updated - 17 March 2009 |
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Lieutenant Denzil Mitford H. Heriz-Smith
‘A’ Company, 6th Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment
Denzil Heriz-Smith was born in 1894 and was the son of Charles Mitford and Marion Heriz-Smith.
A report in the Suffolk and Essex Free Press on 21st March 1917 states ‘he was the only surviving son of Mr. C. Mitford Heriz-Smith PWD. Madras, India (Retired). He was educated at Bedford School, where when he was head of school, he received from Lord Roberts a special prize presented by the Field Marshall “for the best all-round boy in the school”. He entered at Queen’s college, Cambridge with the intention of taking Holy Orders but immediately war broke out joined the Public Schools Battalion, Royal Fusiliers receiving later a commission in the Northamptonshire Regiment. He went to the front in December 1915 and saw much fighting and was one of the very few remaining original officers of his battalion when he died. His C.O. writes ‘I cannot speak too highly of your son’s coolness and gallantry in action and of the affection with which his men regarded him. He had been through two big actions with distinction. He died doing his duty and leading his men to victory as he would have wished.’
Denzil was severely wounded on the 17th February 1917 and died before he could reach the dressing station. He lies buried in Regina Trench Cemetery, Grandcourt, Somme, France. After the war his parents were living at ‘Winds’ Kessingland Beach, Lowestoft, Suffolk.
Denzil’s name is included on the original Roll of Honour that hangs in St. Andrew’s Church today and was hand decorated by the church organist Mr. G. Marsh in September 1917 to honour all the men who had left the village to enlist.
©Shirley Smith - Sudbury & District Royal British Legion - November 2008 |
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