The Queens Own Royal West Kent R

The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Lance Corporal W T Francis

Photograph by "wallaby33"

Lance Corporal William Thomas FRANCIS, G/355, 8th Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, died of wounds, 5 General Hospital, Rouen, France, 8th October 1916, age 21.

Born Rusthall, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, son of Thomas and Marian Sophia Francis, of 18, Bretland Road, Rusthall, Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

1911 Census - 18, Bretland Road, Rusthall, Tunbridge Wells, Kent - Thomas Francis, head, age 41, married 16 years, 4 children, all still alive, domestic gardener, born Horsham, Sussex; William Francis, son, age 18, single, domestic gardener, born Tunbridge Wells, Kent; George Francis, son, age 12, school, born Tunbridge Wells, Kent; Albert Francis, son, age 10, school, born Tunbridge Wells, Kent; Ernest Francis, son, age 7, school, born Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

Enlisted Tunbridge Wells, Kent, age 19 years & 62 days, height 5ft 11½ inches, fresh complexion, blue eyes, brown hair, slightly flat footed. Formerly gardener.

Home, 26th August 1914 to 10th October 1915; BEF, 11th October 1915 to 8th October 1916.

26th August 1914, enlisted & posted Depot, Royal West Kent Regiment; 28th August 1914, posted 6th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 18th September 1914, appointed unpaid Lance Corporal; 4th October 1914, appointed paid Lance Corporal; 19th October 1914, Purfleet, urinating outside his tent at 8.55pm, deprived of Lance stripe; 2nd June 1915, posted 3rd Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 11th October 1915, posted BEF & 8th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 11th October 1915, embarked; 4th Ma1y 1916, 73 Field Ambulance, gassed; 5th May 1916, Casualty Clearing Station, gassed; 26th July 1916, appointed unpaid Lance Corporal; 1st September 1916, wounded & gassed; 2nd September 1916, 5 General Hospital, Rouen; 13th September 1916, 5 General Hospital, Rouen, reports dangerously ill, thigh, visit follow usual procedure at public expense; 8th October 1916, 5 General Hospital, Rouen, reports died, gun shot wound right thigh.

27th June 1919, Statement of Relatives - Father, Thomas Francis, 18, Bretland Road, Rusthall, Tunbridge Wells, Kent; Mother, Marian Sophia Francis, 18, Bretland Road, Rusthall, Tunbridge Wells, Kent; Brothers - George, age 20, 86 Bath Street, Rugby; Albert age 18, 22 Princes Gardens, South Kensington, London; Ernest, age 16, 22 Princes Gardens, South Kensington, London.

Buried at St Sever Cemetery, B. 16. 45, Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France.

This page was last updated on 17-Aug-2019.