Cause of Death: Cerebral Spinal Meningitis
Location: Toronto, Ontario

BX February 12, 1915
 
Battery Sergeant Arthur Smith Was Operated On

Battery Sergeant Arthur Smith, with the 13th Battery at Toronto camp, was operated on yesterday for meningitis, having been in a serious condition. He is still very ill. Sergeant Smith was a member of the 32nd Battery, and employee of the Crown Electric Company and a member of the Grace Church choir. He is at the Toronto General Hospital.

BX March 6, 1915

Brantford Soldier Dies in Toronto – Private Arthur Smith Succumbed Today to Attack of Spinal Meningitis

Special to The Expositor

TORONTO, March 6 – The death took place this morning in the Toronto General hospital, from spinal meningitis, of Private Arthur Smith a member of the 13th Battery, C.F.A., Second Canadian Expeditionary Force who hailed from Brantford, coming from there with the 32nd Battery, which, with the 33rd Battery of Hamilton, were formed into the 13th Battery.

The late Private Smith had been ill for about three weeks. From the first, his attack was seen to be serious and while at times he improved, within the last three days he had been in a very serious condition. He was unconscious, and his sister’s husband Mr. Chevens, of the Barber-Ellis staff in Brantford was sent for on Wednesday afternoon and had been at his bedside since. It is expected that the body will be sent to Brantford for burial.

The late Private Arthur Smith held the rank of sergeant in the 32nd Battery here and enlisted as a private with the contingent from that organization which went to Toronto to form part of the 13th Battery. He was a young Englishman, who had been in this country for some years and had resided with his sister, Mrs. Chevens, Marlborough Street. He was a member of Grace Church choir, and is described by Ven. Archdeacon G.C. Mackenzie as “as a most promising young man.”  He was a single man.

BX March 8, 1915

With Military Honors the Remains of Private Arthur Smith Were Borne to the Grave – Funeral of Brantford Soldier who Died in Toronto Took Place Here This Afternoon With Impressive Ceremony – Appropriate Service Was Held in Grace Church and Battery Boys Fired a Volley Over the Grave

With every manifestation of grief the remains of Sergeant Arthur Smith of the 13th Battery, 4th Brigade second contingent, Canadian Expeditionary Force, who died in Toronto of spinal meningitis, were laid to rest in Greenwood cemetery this afternoon under military auspices, with all the local military units represented, as well as other organizations.

The body arrived here from the Exhibition Camp, Toronto, Sunday evening, being escorted here by five members of the battery of the third contingent to which he belonged. It was met here by five members of the 32nd Battery, from which unit Sergeant Arthur Smith went to Toronto as a member of the 13th Battery, C.F.A. The body was taken to his late residence, 237 Marlborough Street, and from there the home of his brother-in-Law, Mr. E.J. Chevens, the funeral took place.

Service at Grace Church

Ven. Archdeacon G.C. Mackenzie had charge of the services at the house, which were largely attended by sorrowing friends of the deceased. From the house, the remains were taken to Grace Church, of which the deceased was formerly a member, having been a member of the choir and the A.Y.P.A., where a public service was held. Ven. Archdeacon, G.C. Mackenzie delivering the funeral oration, in which he referred to the splendid capabilities of the young man, who had been an earnest Christian, a hard worker in the church, and a splendid type of manhood.

Volley Fired Over Grave

The funeral cortege then wended its way to Greenwood cemetery, where a firing party of the 32nd Battery, consisting of a sergeant, a corporal and 12 men, fired a volley over the open grave, in accordance with the military customs attending the burial of a soldier on active service.

Military Represented

The funeral cortege was a very representative one. The members of the 32nd Battery, fellow soldiers of the deceased, formed an escort of the remains. The Dufferin Rifles were represented by a party of a sergeant and six men. The 25th Brant Dragoons were represented by Sergeant-Major Plummer, in uniform, a number of the officers of the regiment being present in mufti. The active service company of the Dufferin Rifles was also represented.

City Represented

Members of the City Council attended, their carriages forming part of the funeral cortege, while members of the Ancient Order of Foresters, of which the deceased was a member, attended in a body.

The services were particularly impressive being the first to be held on the remains of a Brantford man, who had volunteered his services for King and Country on the field of battle, though death struck him in his prime and before he had reached the scene of warfare.

BX March 9, 1915

With Full Military Honors Private Arthur Smith Laid to Rest – With Arms Reversed and in Slow Time Local Troops Escorted Body to Grace Church Where Impressive Service Was Held – Much Interest in Interment

Maintaining in all its phases the military customs in connection with the interment of a deceased soldier, the funeral of the late Private Arthur Smith, range finder for the headquarters staff in connection with the 13th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery second contingent, Canadian Expeditionary Force, at Toronto, formerly sergeant of the 13th Battery, and previous to that corporal in the 32nd Battery, C.F.A., of Brantford, will be long remembered by Brantford citizens. The interment was unusually impressive, and appropriately so in view of the untimely decease of Pte. Smith while he was training to go into active service in the trenches for King and Country.

The remains were taken from the late residence while here, 237 Marlborough Street, with due solemnity. The beautiful floral tributes were carefully and tenderly placed in the carriage by members of the battery, and six stalwart soldiers, Corp. Ellins, Corp. Goldstraw, Gunners Smith, Grenstead and Twindle, of the 13th Battery in training at Toronto, and Sergt. Maskell of the 32nd Battery, of this city, carried out the coffin, which was draped with a silk Union Jack, for whose defense the deceased had enlisted, on top of which rested the cap and belt of the deceased. A large number of friends were gathered at the house. The procession started headed by the members of the firing party from the 32nd Battery, C.F.A., with arms reversed and at a slow step. The firing party was composed of Sergeant Alfred George Bowtle, Corps, Buhling and Robbins, Gunners B. and R. Waterous, Vaughan, May Davenport, Hartwell, Jones, Morrison, Harris, Atkinson and Crocock. Then followed the coach with the beautiful flowers sent by superior officers, comrades and friends of the deceased, and the hearse with the flag entwined coffin, the six stalwart pall-bearers waling alongside in measured tread.

Following the body came the members of the 32nd Battery able to attend, these being about 20 in number. Active service men from the Dufferin Rifles followed in number eleven while following these came members of the A.O.F. Court Endeavor, to which the deceased belonged in his lifetime. Then came the officers, Lieutenant Colonel Ernest Charles Ashton, officer commanding the 32nd Battery, Lieutenant W.P. Kellett, and Lieutenant Charles Logan Waterous. Members of the Loyal Order of Moose then followed in autos, they thus showing their esteem for their late lodge brother. The City Council representatives Mayor J.H. Spence, Ald. J.H. Minshall, T.E. Ryerson, F.J. Calbeck, Walter Bragg and S. Suddaby followed.

The sad procession sorrowfully wound its way to Grace Church, where the funeral services were held. The hymns, “Fight the Good Fight,” and “On the Resurrection Morn,” were sung with feeling by the large congregation, which assembled, led by the choir, F.C. Thomas presiding at the organ. A large number of representative citizens and military men were present, including in addition to these named Lieut.-Col H.F. Leonard and Major Gordon J. Smith.

Touching references was made by the rector, Ven. Archdeacon G.C. MacKenzie, in his funeral oration, to the qualities, soldierly, citizenship and personal, as well as religious, of the deceased. He pointed out that the deceased, who was a valued member of the choir and A.Y.P.A. left to mourn his loss his parents in the old land, two brothers in South Africa, four sisters in England and one in Brantford. “From my personal knowledge and from what I have been informed, he was a filial son and a brotherly brother,” said the rector. “So long as he retained his consciousness, he expressed the fear that he would not regain his health in time to go with his comrades to the front. While he was ill he received every attention from his comrades the doctors, the nurses, and his friends, and it will be some comfort and consolation to his parents to know that.”

“One thing particularly impressed me – that patriotism is one of the greatest motive powers of man. Patriotism is generous, noble and self-forgetting, and is of impulsiveness. It is life, and when these are, the strongest then is a man most likely to answer to the call. The young man gave his all, his every possession, and was willing to give his life if need be, and this he did. That is why a regiment of such young men as he always calls forth the interest of the entire community. We will never forget them. They are fighting our battles, battling for our motherland, defending her from the threatened rule and tyranny of a nation that has ignored the civilization gathered in past centuries and ignoring the gospel of peace. It was against an armed nation that threatened the entire world that not only devastated Belgium but threatened the life of France and Great Britain, and also threatened the very liberty and freedom of the world, especially of the smaller nations.

“He was an exemplary young man in every respect. Why did he turn from the ordinary pleasures of life to give his life for King and Country.”  It was patriotism, and the call of duty to the young men throughout the world. God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son. The British Empire is being saved by giving lives. Is that not an echo that is respondent to the teachings of the Son of Man. He is not dead. He is gone to higher and better service. He has gone to glory.”

At the conclusion of the service the procession re-formed, and headed for the Greenwood cemetery, where interment took place, Rev. C. Paterson-Smyth taking charge. At the conclusion of the committal service the firing party was called on to fire three volleys. They were then ordered to “present arms,” and as Sergeant Alfred Bowtle gave the order, Trumpeter Budd of the 13th Battery Toronto played “The Last Post,” and the service was concluded.

Floral Tributes

The floral tributes were: Wreath comrades Thirteenth Battery, C.F.A., C.E.F., headquarters staff and signallers class, officers of 13th Battery C.F.A., C.E.F., headquarters staff, officers, old comrades 32nd Battery now with C.E.F., 4th Brigade C.F.A., A.O.F. Court Endeavor: broken wheel, firm and employees Crown Electric, Mrs. C. King: cross, Mr. and Mrs. W. Northaw and Miss Mildred Shrubb, Lieutenant Colonel E.C. Ashton and officers of 32nd Battery, Grace Church A.Y.P.A., Grace Church choir, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred George Bowtle, Em. and Ern, City of Brantford, L.O.O.M., N.C.O.’s and men of 32nd Battery: sprays, Francis and Fern Farnsworth, Tom and Alice, Toronto: Mrs. Maskell and Bessie Ethel, Miss Austin, Mr. and Mrs. J. Caswell, Misses Davis, Mr. and Mrs. Halstead and family, platinum and press department Barber Ellis, Mr. and Mrs. Riley, Frank and Deedie, Mr. and Mrs. Jones and family, Mr. and Mrs. Osborne, Rev. C. Paterson-Smyth, Mrs. Carrow and Maud, Chum Harry, Mr. and Mrs. T. Minnes, Mr. and Mrs. A.E. Minns, Mr. and Mrs. A. Stewart.

Official Orders

In the official orders issued by Lieutenant Colonel Ernest Charles Ashton, officer commanding the 32nd Battery, calling the parade of the battery to attend the funeral of the late Corp. Smith, the following excerpt appeared:

The commanding officer has learned with the deepest regret of the death of Corporal Arthur Smith of the 13th Battery, C.F.A., C.E.F., formerly of this battery, which took place in Toronto of meningitis. The officer commanding desires to express the great grief of the officers, N.C.O.’s and men at the untimely death of this bright and efficient young soldier, who has given up his life in the service of his country.