Fallen Sheffield soldier whose medal was found in river had two daughters

More information has come to light on the life of a Sheffield soldier whose First World War medal was found in a city river by police divers.
Soldiers in Gallipoli.Soldiers in Gallipoli.
Soldiers in Gallipoli.

Pte Stephen Smith, lived at 6 Glave Street, off Coleridge Road, Attercliffe, and died at the age of 23.

His medal was found by crews from the Yorkshire and Humber Marine Unit while carrying out out an operational search of the River Loxley on behalf of South Yorkshire.

Soldiers in Gallipoli.Soldiers in Gallipoli.
Soldiers in Gallipoli.
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Fallen Sheffield soldier whose medal was found in city river lived in Attercliff...
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Now, readers have contacted The Star to say Pte Smith married Sarah Reaney in September in 1912.

The couple had two daughters '“ Gladys, who was born in 1913 and Lilian, hwo was born a year later.

Gladys died in the winter of 1930, aged just 17.

The medal police divers found in the River Loxley.The medal police divers found in the River Loxley.
The medal police divers found in the River Loxley.

Nikki Armstrong also contacted The Star to say she believed Pte Smith may have been her third great uncle after she had traced her family tree.

Pte Smith was killed in action at Suvla Bay on August 9, 1915, while serving with the 6th York and Lancaster Regiment.

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Sgt Paul Jackson, of the regional underwater team, said divers had found out Pte Smith served as part of the 6th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment and landed in Gallipoli, in Turkey on July 2, 1915.

Pte Smith's medal.Pte Smith's medal.
Pte Smith's medal.

The officer said the the team was desperate to reunite the medal with his family.

Sgt Jackson said: 'We were on an operational job on behalf of South Yorkshire Police at the time and we were waiding through the water near Hillsborough stadium and doing a search.

'We were going slowly working our way down the river and one of the lads stopped because he thought he'd found a coin but then we realised it was a war medal.'

The medal police divers found in the River Loxley.The medal police divers found in the River Loxley.
The medal police divers found in the River Loxley.
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Anyone with any information should call The Star on 0114 2767676 or email [email protected] and we will pass on your details to the diving team.

The Yorkshire and Humber Marine Unit can also be found on Twitter '“ @YaTHMarineUnit