Lance Corporal Samuel Edward Smyth (7009692) served in 2nd Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles during the Second World War. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. James Smyth of 35 Glendower Street, Belfast.
Samuel served in the ranks of the Royal Ulster Rifles from 1924 to 1931. In May 1939, as the threat of war in Europe loomed, he rejoined. Outside of military service, he was a member of the Orange Order and the Royal Black Institution, serving as Treasurer of Crumlin Road Brotherhood LOL 1243 and Silver Jubilee RBP 1173.
Smyth had served in the British Expeditionary Force from October 1939 and briefly returned home on leave in March 1940. He died on 29th May 1940 aged 34 years old. The British Expeditionary Force was in retreat towards Dunkirk as part of Operation Dynamo. As the German Army attacked, 2nd Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles held the rearguard.
Samuel Edward Smyth’s grave is in Section 1, Row AA, Grave 4 of Bleuet Farm Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission records the spelling of the Lance Corporal’s surname as Smith.