Peter took up an appointment with a shipping firm in Singapore after leaving Wrekin but was in England on leave when the war started. Not waiting to be called up, nor trying to return to his job, he enlisted in the Grenadier Guards and subsequently went to the RMA Sandhurst, being commissioned to the Durham Light Infantry.

As Intelligence Officer, Peter went with his battalion to India in April 1942 where for some months it was trained in jungle fighting and in amphibious assault methods, taking part in various operations. It was sent to relieve Kohima in April 1944. Here the battalion fought on Garrison Hill and FSD Ridge in late April and early May while overlooked by the guns of the Japanese on Kuki Piquet. Peter was initially reported missing, later presumed killed at the age of 29 on Friday 5^th May 1944, and is one of three OWs commemorated on Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery, Mingaladon township, Myanmar.

Son of William Egerton Egerton-Smith & Louisa Hannah Egerton-Smith of Altrincham, Cheshire.

A copy of this story may be downloaded here.

See also the Commonwealth War Graves Commission permanent digital memorial, ‘Evermore: Stories of the fallen’ relating to:-
First Lieutenant Peter Egerton EGERTON-SMITH