Source: Article in Roots, Branches & Twigs; Kent Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society Newsletter
Family Search: When Private Edwin Charles Smith was born on 1 April 1893, in Merlin, Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada, his father, William Henry Embury, was 24 and his mother, Elizabeth Caroline Smith, was 16. He lived in Kent, Ontario, Canada in 1911 and Blenheim, Kent, Ontario, Canada in 1915. He registered for military service in 1915. In 1915, at the age of 22, his occupation is listed as farm labourer in Blenheim, Kent, Ontario, Canada. He died on 8 August 1918, in Arras, Pas-de-Calais, France, at the age of 25, and was buried in Longueau, Somme, France
Bio:
Charlie SMITH was determined to serve his country. Enlisting with the 186th battalion in February of 1915, only to be discharged after seven months as medically unfit for service. After several more at-tempts, he reenlisted with the 186th (Kent) Battalion in February 1917. Charlie was sent to France in May of 1918 attached to the 18th Battalion and later transferred to the Machine Gun Section of the 2nd Canadian Battalion. On the first day of the Battle of Ami-ens, Charlie was hit and received a gunshot wound to the back. He died the same day in the Field Ambulance Depot Canadian Corps Main Dressing Station. Charlie is buried in the Longueau British Cemetery in Somme, France.
Edwin (Edward) Charles SMITH was born 1 April 1893 to Eliza-beth Caroline SMITH in Raleigh Township, Ontario. Elizabeth Car-oline SMITH was born 7 January 1877 in Tilbury East Township, Ontario, daughter of Charles SMITH and Jane YATES. Charles and Jane emigrated to Canada in 1875 according to the 1901 cen-sus. Jane’s death certificate lists her father as William YATES and her birth date as 14 April 1845. Elizabeth married William Henry EMBURY. Pte. E. C. SMITH was survived by his mother and his EMBURY siblings.
Source: Article in Roots, Branches & Twigs; Kent Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society Newsletter
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 