Gerald Howard-Smith

Gerald Howard-Smith
Personal information
Full name
Gerald Howard-Smith
Born21 January 1880
Earl's Court, Middlesex, England
Died29 March 1916(1916-03-29) (aged 36)
Neuville-Saint-Vaast,
Pas-de-Calais, France
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm fast
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1908–1910Staffordshire
1901–1903Cambridge University
1900–1902Marylebone Cricket Club
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 20
Runs scored 189
Batting average 11.11
100s/50s –/–
Top score 23*
Balls bowled 2,075
Wickets 29
Bowling average 44.10
5 wickets in innings 1
10 wickets in match –
Best bowling 6/23
Catches/stumpings 15/–
Source: Cricinfo, 23 September 2018

Gerald Howard-Smith MC (21 January 1880 – 29 March 1916) was an English solicitor and cricketer, active in first-class cricket from 1900 to 1903.

Early life and cricket career

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Howard-Smith was born at Earl's Court on 21 January 1880 to Mary Beaumont O'Shaughnessy and her husband Philip Howard-Smith.[1] He was educated at Eton College, before going onto study law at Trinity College, Cambridge.[2] He made his debut in first-class cricket for the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) against Cambridge University at Fenner's in 1900.[3] The following year he made his debut for Cambridge University in first-class matches against AJ Webbe's XI,[3] taking a five wicket haul on debut with figures of 6/23 in AJ Webbe's XI's first-innings.[4] From 1900 to 1903, he would make 20 appearances in first-class cricket; 17 for Cambridge University and three for the MCC.[5] Playing primarily as a right-arm fast bowler, Howard-Smith was a reliable, if not overly effective bowler, taking 29 wickets at an average of 44.10, with one five wicket haul.[6] He gained his Cambridge blue in 1903.[7] While studying at Trinity he was the president of both Cambridge University Cricket Club and Cambridge University Athletic Club.[2][7] Howard-Smith also won the varsity high jump against Oxford in 1901, 1902 and 1903,[7] also competing in Canada.[8]

After qualifying as a solicitor, he moved to Wolverhampton, where he joined the law firm Underhill, Thorneycroft & Smith and Neve, Co.[7] He played club cricket locally for Wolverhampton Cricket Club, captaining the club.[2] He was selected to play minor counties cricket for Staffordshire, playing in 1908 against Hertfordshire at Stoke-on-Trent, and once more in 1910 against Cheshire at Wolverhampton.[9] These were his only appearances in the Minor Counties Championship.[9]

War service and death

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Shortly after the outbreak of World War I, Howard-Smith was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the South Staffordshire Regiment.[7][10] His unit moved to frontline in March 1915, where shortly thereafter he was promoted to lieutenant and became the battalion bombing officer.[7] He was awarded the Military Cross on 14 January 1916,[11] for bravery during the Actions of the Hohenzollern Redoubt.[2] He was known as the "anarchist" in his battalion due to his left-wing views.[7] During the course of the war he was wounded three times,[2] the third time fatally during action at Neuville-Saint-Vaast, France.[2][7] Stretchered from the battlefield whistling It's a Long Way to Tipperary,[2] he died shortly thereafter from complications at a field hospital on 29 March 1916.[7] He is buried at the Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension and is commemorated at St Mary's Church, Bushbury.[7][12]

References

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  1. ^ Benson, John (15 August 2016). Gerald Howard-Smith and the 'Lost Generation' of Late Victorian and Edwardian England (1 ed.). Routledge. pp. 4–5. ISBN 978-1472435903.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "A Popular Officer". Wolverhampton Chronicle. 5 April 1916.
  3. ^ a b "First-Class Matches played by Gerald Howard-Smith". CricketArchive. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  4. ^ "Cambridge University v AJ Webbe's XI, 1901". CricketArchive. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  5. ^ "First-class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by Gerald Howard-Smith". CricketArchive. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  6. ^ "Player profile: Gerald Howard-Smith". CricketArchive. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j McCrery, Nigel (30 July 2015). Final Wicket: Test and First Class Cricketers Killed in the Great War. Pen and Sword. p. 191. ISBN 978-1473864191.
  8. ^ "Wisden – Deaths in the war, 1916". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  9. ^ a b "Minor Counties Championship Matches played by Gerald Howard-Smith". CricketArchive. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  10. ^ "No. 28932". The London Gazette. 9 October 1914. p. 2851.
  11. ^ "No. 29438". The London Gazette. 14 January 1916. p. 589.
  12. ^ "Casualty: SMITH, GERALD HOWARD". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 24 September 2018.

Further reading

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  • Benson, John (2016). Gerald Howard-Smith and the 'Lost Generation' of Late Victorian and Edwardian England. Routledge. ISBN 9781315584614.
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