248224 Pte. Francis Albert "Bertie" Bartlett British Army 2nd Btn. Royal Irish Regiment from:Penarth, Glamorgan, Wales (d.23rd Aug 1914) Francis Bartlett was one of three brothers killed during WW1. He had enlisted during Edwardian times in Pontypool and was unmarried. His mother, Mary Bartlett nee Norvell, laid the wreath on behalf of the families of the fallen at the opening of the Penarth War Memorial in 1924.
As war approached, the Regiment was recalled from its annual summer camp at Willsworthy to its quarters with the 3rd Division at Devonport, where it mobilised on 4th August. Reservists were recalled on 7th to 9th August & the Regiment proceeded to Southampton, where together with the Connaught Rangers it embarked on SS Henschel and sailed for Boulogne with an escort of 13 cruisers. From Boulogne, the Regiment assembled at Aulnoye & Aymeries, some 20 miles from the Franco-Belgian border. From there, they marched 3 miles to Taisnieres, and had a few days training. On 20th August, they marched towards St Remy, and thence to Bettignes. Moving north from there, they reached Mons, where contact was made on the night of the 22nd with the advancing German forces. Close to Nimy Bridge, the battle of Mons was fought on 23rd August, and sadly Bertie was an early casualty of the war. His remains rest in the British Military Cemetery at Saint Symphorien.
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