Military History

Francis was admitted to the 14th Field Ambulance on the 9th May 1917 with wounds to the abdomen and right thigh. He was transferred to 30th Casualty Clearing Station at Aubigny where he died on 19th May 1917. The 1st Battalion war diary casualty list states that Francis was wounded on the 8th May and the diary entry for the 8th is transcribed below.

Near Arleux & Fresnoy – 8^th May 1917 – 3.45am: Heavy enemy artillery barrage started growing in intensity until 4.05am when his infantry commenced to attack, the SOS being sent up along the whole divisional front and also northwards in the 2^nd Canadian Divisional area. The 9^th Infantry Brigade were distributed as follows: In the front line were the 1^st East Surreys on the right and the 12^th Glosters on the left, the dividing line between the Battalions being roughly on line running through the middle of Fresnoy Wood from SW to NW.

A&B Coys 1^st D.C.L.I were in support on the right, occupying a well dug trench on the SE side of Arleux. C&D Coys 1^st D.C.L.I were in support on the left. D Coy occupying an old German trench running from T.29.b.7.8 to T.30.c.55.60 and C Coy the Arleux Loop trench. Battalion HQ also in the Arleux Loop trench.

The 1^st Devons were in reserve just in rear of Farbus Wood. Some indications of the impending storm had manifested themselves on the preceeding day. The enemy had shown a more than ordinary dislike to the appearance of any of our aeroplanes in the vicinity of his lines, a careful and systematic registration of all our front line and trenches and back areas had been carried out by his artillery and psychologically the atmosphere was changed with of some swiftly approaching menace.

The first attack proved unsuccessful, the Surrey’s & Glosters repelling it without much difficulty, the second however which following closely met with more success. The Surrey’s drove them back in front of them but the Glosters somewhat shaken by seeing large numbers of Canadians moving rearwards and imagining that their left flank was now exposed though these retiring Canadians were only men who had been relieved during the night, promptly broke and the enemy poured into the gap.

The left flank of the East Surrey’s was now in possession of the enemy, this unfortunate regiment fondly imagining that their comrades  on the left were still holding out and being unable to verify it owing to the misty nature of the weather suddenly found themselves surrounded by the enemy, and were practically annihilated. The enemy were now in complete possession of Fresnoy and Fresnoy Wood.

On the left acting under the orders of O C 12^th Glosters, Captain Kendall MC commanding D Coy 1^st D.C.L.I organised a counter attack with his Coy and a few of the 12^th Glosters. This attack skillfully and resolutely led reached the front support trenches but were unable to advance further, the impact of shells, rifle and M.G. fire proving too strong. The remainder of the Coy were therefore withdrawn to their original position.

Lt. Stephenson and many of the rank and file being killed. Frequent appeals had been made for artillery to put down a protective barrage but in vain; the welcome sustained song of our shells cleaving the air as they hasten to their deadly work did not materialise. It appears that during the night 7/8^th May the Canadian Artillery had been relieved by the 5^th Divisional artillery and the guns hander over were mostly not in a workable condition owing to the mechanism  of the head blocks becoming burned.

The storm centre now shifted to the right and where nothing remained to stop the enemy taking Arleux Wood except A&B Coys in their deep, narrow well dug trench and a part of the K.O.S.B’s a little to the east of them and some more extending the line to the south. On this devoted handful of men did the storm burst afresh with redoubled violence, shells of all sizes deluged the trenches and the vicinity, but inspired by the magnificent example of their leaders, especially Captain Taylor and Captain Hughesdon, they held on and defeated the enemy plan.

Good work was done at this stage by a heavy artillery group directed by an Officer who reported at Battalion HQ and who was able to get his guns turned on to several enemy massings with satisfactory results.

In the meantime the 1^st Devons were on the way to reinforce and by 9am two Coys had arrived in the Arleux Loop trench, the other two Coys arriving at 11am also manning the same trench.

About 8pm the enemy were reported to be advancing through Arleux village and Battalion HQ stood to arms ready to deal with all intruders. The alarm proved however false and night fall arrived bringing with it cessation of fire. Fresnoy lost but Arleux and Arleux Wood still in our hands and fresh troops up waiting to resume the offensive during the night.

Battalion relieved in Arleux Loop by 1^st Cheshires. Relief complete by 6.35am [9^th]