204793 Rfm. Horace Henry "Orrie" Smith 2nd Battalion from:Walthamstow, London (d.27th Oct 1942) Horace Henry Smith (who was my great uncle) was born in Walthamstow, London on 31st December 1917, the youngest of 10 children. He worked as a builder's labourer but was conscripted into the army in 1940, assigned to 9th Battalion 'The Rangers' KRRC. After serving alongside the Greek army against the German invasion, his section of the Batalion was evacuated from Greece in April 1941 and transported to Egypt where they were integrated into the 2nd Batalion KRRC, 8th Army.
On the night of 26th/27th October 1942, during the battle of El Alamein, the 2nd Battalion - as part of the 7th Motor Brigade, 1st Armoured Division - was engaged in an attack to capture an enemy anti-tank gun position nick-named the 'Woodcock Feature'. During this action Horace Smith was killed (we believe by a land-mine), aged 24. He has no known grave but his name is inscribed on the Alamein Memorial.
I never knew my great uncle 'Orrie', as I was not born until after the war, but my grand-mother, who was his older sister, often spoke to me about him. The remembrance day service was always a poignant reminder in our house when I was a child - and remains so today.
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