1901-1908 - Captain in 4th Battalion South Wales Borderers (Territorials)

7/9/1915 – Applied for Commission in Royal Engineers

11/9/1915 – Memo stating that War Office desired to appoint Francis to a temporary commission as a Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers.

26/9/1915 – Mistakenly Gazetted as a Temp 2/Lieut – should have been Gazetted as Lieutenant on 26^th Sept 1915 in Tunnelling Company of R.E

30/9/1915 – Joined Royal Engineers at S.M.E Chatham

4/10/1915 Received first anti-typhoid vaccine then complained of weakness and tiredness.

9/10/1915 – Fainted when embarking troop ship SS Lydia at Southampton Docks and removed to the Welsh Hospital at Netley

14/10/1915 – Given 2^nd dose of vaccine

19/10/1915 – Left Netley hospital

25/10/1915 – Proceeded to B.E.F, France

25/10/1915 – Admitted to No 2 Red Cross hospital at Rouen from syncope (fainting fit) – discharged to duty on 28/10/15 as fit for duty. During this time Francis admitted that he abused alcohol.

File note 25 Oct 1915 Rouen Camp: This morning (Oct 25^th 1915) at 8am Lt Ferrers was the officer in charge of a draft of R.E’s from Chatham to Rouen Camp as per instructions. Just as the draft under his charge were got on the move and leaving the Rouen Station Yard en route to Rouen Camp about 3 miles distant Lt Ferrers was seen by me to spin round twice and fall to the ground. On reaching him and attending to him I came to the conclusion that Lt Ferrers has had an epileptic seizure… Lt Ferrers I understand had a similar seizure 4 days ago on board ship when he was attached to a previous draft.

30/10/1915 – Marked “unfit for the front” at No 4 General Base Depot by Lieut O’Brien R.A.M.C who said he appeared to be mentally deranged. Report by a Lt at Red Cross Hospital dated 5/11/15 states in part that he had formed the opinion that Lt Ferrers had been drinking too much and he warned him to desist or face disciplinary action

3/11/1915 – Again passed fit and proceeded to the 253^rd Coy at the front that day.

7/12/1915 – Given advance of 250 Francs at Base in France.

15/12/1915 – Invalided to UK

17/12/1915 – Recommended for Home Service Medical Board at 4^th London General Hospital on 17-12-15 when declared Francis as unfit for general service permanently and unfit for service at home or for light duty for one month (Minor Epilepsy). Recommendation for relinquishing of commission

24 Dec 1915 letter from Adj Gen for Commander in Chief to The Secretary, War Office in part states

This officer was invalided to England on 15^th instant. There is no evidence to show that the state of ill health in which he then was, directly resulted from over indulgence in alcohol and tobacco, but there is little doubt that he had rendered himself little capable of standing the strain of trench work by long continued abuse of these stimulants. I recommend that his services be dispensed with.

13/1/1916 – Relinquished commission on account of ill health. Gazetted from 13^th January 1916.

Reenlisted some time after 22 March 1917 into the Lancashire Fusiliers (based on date of death and his £3 war gratuity payment). Unfortunately the service record did not survive and there is no evidence to suggest that the Army realised what was going on.

Francis is listed as being killed in action on 21st March 1918, the first day of the German Spring Offensive. The war diary for the 20th, 21st and early hours of the 22nd are transcribed below. The Battalion suffered horrendous losses, over 650 officers and men in a few short days.

Roisel - 20^th March 1918: Battn in reserve at Roisel. Working parties found. Lt A/Capt Barker J.S reported from Course of Instruction 1^st Army School. Lieut V.H. Levi reported from XI Corps school where he had been acting as an instructor. Lieutn E. Ormerod returned from hospital. Capt C.H. Potter evacuated to Field Ambulance.

10pm – Orders received to stand by ready to move to battle positions at 10 minutes notice. END

Roisel – 21st March 1918 – 4am: Order received to move to positions in Brown Line.  Battle positions from L.1 central to L.1.d.0.5 were manned at 6.0am. The bttn being heavily shelled whilst getting into position with H.E and Gas. Weather fine but thick mist.

10am (approx): Information received that enemy had attacked the front line

11am (approx.): Enemy reported in Templeux le Gerrard. Orders received to counter attack. Counter attack launched by A & D Coys under Major Wike which cleared the village but was subsequently forced to retire onto the Sunken Road L.2.c.0.0 to L.2.c central. End 21st

Roisel – 22nd March 1918 – 2am: Verbal instructions received from Bde to hold onto this position and only retire fighting. Under orders from Battn HQ (Brown Line) Major Wike left Sunken Road and returned to Battn HQ leaving A & D Coys in charge of Lt Col Norton, DSO, O.C. Templeux defences who with his force had retired into that position.

After about one hours heavy shelling the enemy attacked about dawn, overwhelmed the Sunken Road position and penetrated the Brown Line and surrounded and captured Battn HQ. Only two officers, Capt Dingley R.A.M.C and 2/Lt Sutherland, Asst Adjt, succeeded in escaping. 2/Lt Sutherland collected stragglers and formed a defensive post about 70 yards behind the Brown Line where he was killed shortly afterwards.

The Battn then fell back upon a defensive line held by a dismounted Cavalry Regiment east of Roisel. The Bttn then fell back fighting in isolated parties, through the 50^th Div who were holding the Green Line, to a point near Cartigny where they re-organised under Lt A/Capt Barker.