Soldier Record
Edwin Franks
Contributed by: Julia O'Donoghue, on 2008-11-12
| Rank | |
|---|---|
| First Name | Edwin |
| Surname | Franks |
| Year of Birth | 1881 |
| Year of Death | 1916 |
| Regiment | Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) |
| Place of Wartime Residence | Stockwell, Surrey |
Edwin's Story
Until 2005 my family had no knowledge of what had happened to my Grandfather. My father was not quite four years old when his father died and he had three siblings.
Edwin was killed on 2nd February 1916 in Lancashire Farm Trench outside Ypres
After a long search, I was lucky enough to access a copy of the War Diary of the 7th Btn Rifle Brigade and to be able to trace my Grandfather's Regiment's movements from their landing at Boulogne to their arrival at Ypres.
The entry in the diary for 2nd February notes that a shell landed on the trench in which my Grandfather was sheltered and he and two other men were killed outright. Their remains could not be removed from the trench.
The two other soldiers who died with my Grandfather were F Bransby and C Hodges. I can only hope that their relations were able to discover what happened to them.
Due to the confusion that existed during and after WW1, my Grandfather's death was shown in the War Graves Commission records as Edward. I had to submit his birth certificate and proof of my relationship in order for their entry to be altered and it was then that I found out that he was honoured on the Menin Gate with all the other poor souls who have no grave.
Complain about this post