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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment
Cpl. Albert Francis
British Army Essex Regiment
Albert Francis, from Hornsey Rise, London, was the youngest of eight children. He served with the Essex Regiment and died on 23rd August 1918 aged 26. He's buried in Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Ficheux, France (near Arras).
Col.Sgt. C. J. Francis
British Army 2nd Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment
(d.8th November 1914)
Colour Serjeant Francis attended the Nigeria Regiment, W.A.F.F. is buried in the Abunerek Military Grave in Nigeria.
Pte. Charles Francis
British Army Royal Garrison Artillery
from:
Charles Francis was my grandfather, he served with the RGA and I am trying to trace him for my mother. She was born in 1920. She is the only offspring of Charles Francis and Margaret Annie Kennedy who were married at Mablethorpe in April 1920.
Cpl. Charles Francis
British Army 13th Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps
from:Kent
(d.10th Mar 1918)
Cook's Mate. George W. Francis
Royal Navy HMS Bergamot
(d.13th Aug 1917)
Pte. Harry Herbert Francis
British Army 12th Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment
from:Bruton, Somerset
(d.25th Sept 1917)
Harry Francis is my great uncle who was my maternal grandfather's bother. They lived in Bruton, Somerset and as far as I am aware he was killed at Polygon Wood and his name is remembered at Tyne Cot. He died at the age of 19.
Pte. Harry Herbert Francis
British Army 12th Btn. Royal Sussex
from:Bruton, Somerset
(d.25th Sept 1917)
Pte. Harry Francis
British Army 12th Btn Royal Sussex
from:Bruton, Somerset
(d.25th Sept 1917)
CSM. John William Thomas Francis MM.
British Army 1st Battalion Cheshire Regiment
from:Chester
(d.25th May 1915)
My Great Grandfather, John Francis died from wounds received in the Battle at Le Cateau and was awarded the French Medaille Militaire for gallantry. He fought with the 1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment alongside Captain Shore at Audregnies.
I have his photo in uniform as well as the regiment photograph and his certificate and Medaille Militaire.
I have been informed by family members, namely one of his sisters, when I was quite young that he was the youngest company sergeant major. He died of his wounds on the 25th May 1915 at the age of 27.
Nursing Sister Lily Gertrude Francis RRC2.
British Red Cross
from:Somerset, Bath
Lily Francis met T.S.R Miller, a soldier in the 23rd Royal Fusiliers whilst serving at Toxteth Park Hospital. He had been very badly wounded at the battle of the Somme and was brought back to Liverpool to Toxteth Park. The story was that he was unlikely to survive and she nursed him back to health. They always joked about what happened behind the poison cabinet! She later married him and they went on to have two children. She received the RRC medal for her services to nursing.
Pte. Reginald Clement Francis DCM.
British Army 2nd Btn. Suffolk Regiment
from:Bradfield, Essex
(d.16th Dec 1914)
Reginald Clement Francis and his brother Frederick Benjamin Francis are both recorded on the war memorial in the village of Fordham, Essex.
Reginald Francis served with the Special Reserve attached to the 2nd Battalion. He was awarded the DCM for conspicuous gallantry on 15th December 1914, near Kemmel, in voluntarily taking a message over very dangerous ground. His destination was 150 yards in front and he was killed after covering 80yds of the distance. He was killed in action at Le Cateau on the 16th December 1914. He is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial Ypres. Reginald was one of seven children liiving in Bradfield, Essex and Hadleigh, Suffolk. In 1911, the rest of the family including brother Frederick were living in Clare Suffolk. In 1915/1916 their father Benjamin and his family are recorded on the Occupier's List in Plummers Green, Fordham, Essex. When the village war memorial was built in 1919, the Francis brothers were included.
His brother Frederick Francis died on the 20th of October 1918 age 21, he was a prisoner of war and is buried at Szcztpiorno P.O.W. Cemetery. He was with the Royal Scots 12th Battalion, Service number: 353210.
Rgmtl Qtrmtr Sjt. W. Francis
Army Durham Light Infantry
Pte. W. Francis
British Indian Army 26th Hyderabad Rifles Indian Defence Force
Private Francis died on the 5th April 1920 and is buried in the Purna Roman Catholic Cemetery in India, near the front wall left of the path.
William James Baden Francis
British Army 7th London Battalion
from:London
2nd Lt. William Joseph Francis
British Army 11th Battalion Royal Fusiliers
from:41 Frederick Street, Grays Inn Road, London
(d.23rd March 1918)
William Francis attested 6 June 1916, and was initially in the Artists Rifles (28th London) as a private. In Jan 1917 he applied for a commission, listing his present address as "D 'Coy' Hut no.1, 2nd Artists Rifles OTC, Hare Hall Camp, Romford, Essex." OTC is "Officer Training Corps".
He initially served as a 2nd Lieutenant with the 12th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers, but in Jan 1918 this battalion was "rationalized" as part of a move to reduce the number of under-sized battalions, and the men were dispersed to other battalions, Francis ending up in the 11th Battalion.
When the Germans launched their major offensive known as Operation Michael (March 21st 1918), the 11th Battalion found itself under heavy pressure, and made a fighting retreat to take up defensive positions just south of the town of Jussy, behind a canal, reaching their position about 10pm.
At dawn on the 22nd they reported having units of mixed detachments holding their left flank, and the 7th Bedfords on the right, with the 6th Northants in support. The bridges had not been effectively destroyed in the words of the unit diary of the 11th Battalion, and German attacks began at noon. A general assault began at 3pm, and the position held by the Bedfords was briefly taken before a counter attack by the Northants drove back the Germans and reestablished the front by 6pm. (The junction between the 11th Battalion and the Bedfords & Northants was the railway bridge.) The Germans made determined efforts to cross the canal in the night but were beaten back. Although they didn't know it at the time, by dawn the Germans had succeeded in forcing the canal at Jussy on their left flank. At 6am on the 23rd they came under flanking fire from Jussy, forcing them off the canal bank. By 8.30am it became obvious that their left flank had been left completely in the air. An officer scouting on his own reported that the enemy had penetrated to a depth of a mile on their left flank, and held Holnon Wood.
Recorded under the entry for 10am, the unit diary says This retirement from close contact with the enemy who was pressing the Battalion from front and left flank was a very difficult operation. In covering the withdrawal of Bedfords & Northants the right flank also became exposed. The enemy pressing closely in large numbers cut off many of our men and very few were enabled to get back under heavy MG fire from both flanks. Capt. Brookling was here wounded and cut off after behaving with the greatest gallantry throughout the action.
At some point on the 22nd or 23rd March 1918, William Francis lost his life. His body was never recovered, and his military file contains extensive documentation of attempts to determine the date and cause of death. It was initially ruled that he was killed on the 22nd, based on the testimony of a private John J Goodman hospitalized in London, who stated that Francis was his platoon commander and that he had seen the body blown up by artillery, but with the face clearly visible. He is commemorated at the Pozieres War Memorial as having died on the 22nd.
However, subsequent correspondence from Capt Brookling from his POW camp in Germany would cause a reassessment. The German Red Cross Evidence Form contained the following: Date and place of disappearance: 23rd Mar 1918 Jussy. In a shallow trench near the Canal bank at Jussy. Was he killed outright? Yes. And by whom was he buried? The enemy overran the position a few hours after his death consequently he was not buried by British troops at all. Can the witness (state the names) of other witnesses? Several men near must have seen but unfortunately I cannot state any names.
William Francis Snr (Lt. Francis father) then investigated further. Correspondence to the War Office from Francis Snr stated that he had visited Private Goodman in hospital, and after talking with him and showing him a photo of his son, was convinced that Goodman was mistaken about the identity of the officer he'd seen killed. He also stated that he'd spoken with his son's fellow officers in the hospital, and one (not named) stated he'd been sniping with Francis the morning of the 23rd and another (2nd Lt Spence) had spoken to him on the telephone that morning.
Captain Brookling's father would forward a letter from his son to Francis Snr stating I am sorry to say that 2/Lt Francis was killed about 2 hours before I was captured, he was shot through the head; Francis did splendidly that day, he was a fine & gallant officer and I liked him immensely. Give my deepest sympathies to his people.
Based on the above, it appears that William Francis was probably killed on the morning of the 23rd as the battalion tried to extricate itself from close contact with the enemy.
William Francis left a widow (E. Maud) and a baby daughter (Eleanor). On Jan 1st 1919, his elder sister Margaret would marry a New Zealand corporal, and shortly thereafter his entire family would move to New Zealand.
2nd Lt. William George Francis
Royal Flying Corps 66 Squadron
from:Eastbourne, Sussex
(d.10th March 1918)
William Francis was the Son of Arthur and Emilie Francis of Elmsleigh, Moat Croft Rd., Eastbourne, Sussex. Educated at Eastbourne College. He was 19 when he died and is buried in the Conegliano (San Giusseppe) Communal Cemetery in Italy.
Pte. William Norman Francis
British Army 2nd Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment
(d.9th September 1916)
Private William Norman Francis, born in Ampthill, enlisted Bedford. Served with the 2nd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment (service no. G/14532).
He was killed in action on 9th September 1916 with the British Expeditionary Force and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. He is remembered on both The War Memorial and The Alamada, St. Andrews Church, Ampthill.
Information courtesy of www.roll-of-honour.com
Pte. Luc Rene Francois
British Army Machine Gun Corps (Heavy)
from:Delagoa Bay, Mozambique
Pte. Richard Franey
British Army 2nd Btn. Royal Irish Regiment
from:Enniscorthy
Richard Franey served with the 2nd Btn. Royal Irish Regiment.
Pte. Arthur Frank
British Army West Yorkshire Regiment
from:Bradford
(d.10th October 1919)
Pte. Facer Frank MM
British Army 7th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment
from:Glentham
Pte. Hatchett W Frank
British Army 1st Btn. Lincolnshire Regiment
(d.28th Aug 1914)
Frank Hatchett enlisted in the Queens Regiment in July 1908 and then enlisted in April 1910 as 8878 Private Edward Locke in the 1st Battalion the Lincolnshire Regiment under which name he served during WW1. He died on the 28th August 1914 and is buried in St Quentin Northern Community Cemetery.
Pte. John Thomas Frank
British Army Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Newcastle upon Tyne
My maternal, Grandfather John Thomas Frank, served in both the Northumberland Fusiliers and the Labour Corps during World War 1.
He was taken as a prisoner of war in 1918 after having been gassed. Family legend has it that he was badly treated by his captors, due to his German surname, but he was Geordie born and bred, and his family were at least 3rd generation British. Surprisingly he was fourty four in 1914, but I believe he was called up because of his previous military experience. John had been a Northumberland Fusilier during the Boer War.
John Thomas survived both these conflicts and was still alive during World War 2, but unfortunately was run over by a bus and died as a result of his injuries. The accident occurred during the black-out while he was on his way home from the pub.
Cpl. Thomas Frankish
British Army A Bty, 251st Brigade Royal Field Artillery
from:North Dalton, E Yorkshire
(d.16th March 1917)
Thomas Frankish was killed on 16th of March 1917, at Assevillers on the Somme, and is buried in the Assevillers Cemetery. He was the brother of my grand-father.
Sgt. Evelyn Frankland
British Army 2/2nd East Lancs Field Hospital Royal Army Medical Corps
from:Leeds
(d.1st Feb 1915)
Evelyn Franklin served with the 2/2nd East Lancs Field Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps during WW1 and died on the 1st February 1915, aged 32. He is buried in the Ismailia War Cemetery in Egypt. He was the husband of Alice Frankland, of 2, Bayswater Avenue, Roundhay Rd., Leeds
Sgt. Evelyn Frankland
British Army 2/2nd East Lancashire Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps
from:Roundhay Rd., Leeds
(d.1st Feb 1915)
Evelyn Frankland died on 1st February 1915, aged 32. He is buried in the Ismailia War Cemetery, Egypt. He had enlisted in Burnley and was the husband of Alice Frankland of 2 Bayswater Avenue, Roundhay Rd., Leeds.
Rfm. Arthur Charles Franklin
British Army 1st Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps
from:London
(d.3rd May 1917)
All I know is that my Gt Grandfather, Charles Arthur Franklin served and died at Arras on the 3rd May 1917 and would like his memory kept.
Rflmn. Cyril George Franklin
British Army 5th Battalion London Regiment
from:Valley End
(d.21st August 1918)
Sgt. Ernest Arthur Franklin
British Army 4th Btn. Essex Regiment
from:Cambridge
(d.3rd Nov 1917)
Gnr. Henry William Joseph "Henry Barry" Franklin
British Army 27th Brigade Royal Field Artillery
from:Bermondsey, London
Page 32 of 40
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