Soldier Record

Francis was born in 1879 and had four young chidren when he volunteered. He joined the 1st Bn of the Royal Inniskilling Fusilliers and may have been with them in time for the first day of the Somme. He was injured when he threw himself into a shell hole and "half the regiment landed on me when they did the same." His resulting chest injury gave him trouble until the day he died but probably saved his life as he was transferred to a special battalion of the Royal Welch Fusilliers for lighter duties. He was, however, back on active service for the final weeks of the war. As was common, he rarely talked about what he experienced and it clearly troubled him.