History : Hall Of Fame : Geoffrey Bach Smith
Geoffrey Bach Smith was a Lieutenant in the Lancashire Fusiliers and died in France on 3rd December 1916, at the age of 22, and is buried in Warlincourt Halt cemetery in France. However his reason for being well known is not greatly connected with his war time career, but his abilities as a developing poet and his friendship with JRR Tolkien (author of the Lord of the Rings) through their membership of the TCBS (Tea Club, Barrovian Society) which lasted through school, university and their time in the trenches.
INTERCESSIONAL
There is a place where voices
Of great guns do not come,
Where rifle, mine, and mortar
For evermore are dumb:
Where there is only silence,
And Peace eternal and rest,
Set somewhere in the quiet isles
Beyond Death’s starry West.
O God, the God of battles,
To us who intercede,
Give only strength to follow
Until there’s no more need
And grant us at that ending
Of the unkindly quest
To come unto the quiet isles
Beyond Death’s starry West.
(this poem is taken from a book of by GB Smiths poems A Spring Harvest, published posthumously)
This poem is an example of many poems that he wrote through his life; unfortunately, they are not longer in print. It was through GB Smith that Tolkien was encouraged to write poems and there are references in his poetry that show strong influences in his writing similar to Tolkien’s.
The museum collection at present does not have any artifacts relating to J.R.R Tolkien or G.B. Smith and their experiences with the Lancashire Fusiliers. The museum would be very interested in any potential donations to the collection of any appropriate material.
