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Capt. Frank Daniells
British Army 12th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment
from:Mentone Avenue, Aspley Guise
My Great-grandfather, Captain Frank Daniels was born at Holcombe, Somerset in the 3rd quarter of 1869. As a young man he worked as an agricultural worker before enlisting into the Army at some time during the late 1800s as a career soldier. We know that he married Clara Ann Hughes in the first quarter of 1893 and lived in East Claydon, Winslow in Buckinghamshire and by 1897 he was posted to Gibraltar where my grandmother, Alice Maude Daniels was born.
His first military deployment was with the “Leeds rifles†(West Yorkshire Regiment) we suspect serving as a Colour Sgt during the 2nd. South African Boer War, 1900 to 1902, although we have no further details of his involvement in this campaign. Following his return from overseas active service in South Africa we suspect he lived between East Claydon and Carlton Barracks where he became a military gymnastics instructor. The details on his competition medals identify him in 1905 as being a Colour Sergt. in the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the West Yorkshire Regiment. We also know in the same year the family was posted to Belfast where my great uncle, Harold Vincent Daniells was born.
In the 1911 census, the family is listed as living at the East Claydon address with Frank Daniells as an army pensioner and hedge senior. With the outbreak of World War I in August 1914, the then retired Colour Sergt. Frank Daniells, now aged 45, is offered a Captaincy and re-enlisted into the Army, we suspect, into the 12th Battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment. This is supported with 2 pieces of evidence, firstly because the 12th Battalion were based and trained at Halton house training camp, in Buckinghamshire, close to East Claydon and the inscription written in pen inside of his Sam Browne belt, appears to read ‘‘Capt. F Daniells†“12 W York’s RGTâ€.
The West Yorkshire Regiment 12th Battalion was raised in York on the 16th of September 1914 and joined the 63rd Brigade of the 21st Division. The Division was concentrated in and around the Leighton Buzzard and Tring area, training at Halton Hall and then to Witley camp before mobilizing to France in September of 1915. They saw their first action that year as reserve to the British assault at Loos and in 1916 saw action on the Bluff and St Eloi Craters before entering the Somme for the Battle of Albert, the battle of Bazentin, Longueval, Delville wood and the Battle of Ancre Heights. During 1917 their action was at Arras before moving Northwards into Flanders. In 1918 they saw action at the battle for the Menin road and The third battle of Ypres before moving southwards for The battle of Cambrai.
The only family information that we have relating to his service is that at some point he suffered from shell-shock and had to be dragged out the trenches and saved by his men. Unfortunately none of his service records are available so we do not Know at which point this happened. Upon his return to England we know that he was living in Wing, Buckinghamshire as detailed on his War badge approval form, issued by the War office 28/01/1918 before moving to Braystone house and then to Mentone Avenue in Aspley Guise where he lived out his life until he passed away in 1935, aged 66.
