South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project
The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One |
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Military History |
| Theatre of War | Medals | Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial |
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| France & Flanders | 1914-15 Star, British War & Victory Medals | Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial |
| Arrived in Theatre | Medal Citation (if app) | SWFHS Area Memorials |
| 5 May 1915 in France | ~ | Umberslade Baptist Church |
| Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed | Date and Place Enlisted | Other War Memorials |
| The Second Battle of Ypres | in Birmingham | Shirley, Solihull War Memorial |
| Place of Death | Previous Regiments or Units | |
| near Hooge, Ypres | ~ | |
Circumstances of Death
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Frank is listed as being killed in action on 16 Jun 1915 during actions near Hooge, Ypres. The 1st Battalion war diary for the period 15th to 17th June is transcribed below. 15th June to 11am 16th JuneNear Ypres – June 15th 1915: Marched to assembly trenches on Menin Road west of Hooge, arrived in position about 11.45pm West of Hooge – June 16th 1915: 2.50am Our artillery commenced bombardment on German trenches situated between Roulers Railway & southern end of Y Wood. 4.15am: Artillery lengthened range and 9th Brigade assaulted first line of German Trenches. 4.20am: The 9th Brigade had carried the first line of German trenches & 1 platoon of Coy assaulted trench at south end of Y Wood which was taken without difficulty. A bombing party started to work up the enemies trench in the direction of Hooge and made rapid progress. The remainder of C Coy + D Coy followed up. 5.00am: The leading men reached a point some 100 yards from Hooge village, meanwhile a communication trench was dug from Culvert under Menin Road to southern end of Y Wood & endeavours made to join up two pieces of German trench running east towards Hooge. Until 6am the situation remained unchanged. 6.00am: More progress towards Hooge was made, a point within 50 yard of the village being reached in the German trench. Between 6am & 9am the situation remained unchanged. Work of barricading & ? the parapets was continued. 9.00am: The Germans advanced down two communication trenches from the north and under the cover of a heavy fire started bombing heavily. We replied with grenades, this exchange lasted about 1½ hours. 10.30am: Our supply of grenades became exhausted and the German’s succeeded in driving us slowly back down the trench. In retiring we suffered heavy casualties during the period of the action. 11.00am: We evacuated the eastern portion of the German trench. We retired in the open & lost a considerable number of men in doing so. A counter charge was organised about this time to check the enemy’s advance but without success, as the officer and many men were shot down & the remainder made no progress. 11.01am 16th June to 17th June3.00pm: Germans commenced a heavy bombardment of Y Wood and the trenches which had been captured in the morning. Our guns replied by shelling the Germans about Bellewaarde Lake, presumably to break up any attempt at a counter attack. The situation remained unchanged in our trenches. 6.30pm: Germans started a very heavy bombardment of Y Wood which lasted about 1 hour. 8.00pm: Germans fired a considerable number of Gas shells in the neighbourhood of the Menin Road but these only caused temporary inconvenience. 11.00pm: Suffolks started digging trench parallel to communication trench from corner of Y Wood to culvert. The trench running eastwards from the corner of Y Wood was abandoned and blocked over a distance of 30 yards. June 17th: 12.30am: Relieved by Suffolks 1.30am: The whole Battalion had left & marched to billets between Ypres & Vlamertinge. Casualties during the action: Other Ranks: Killed 20; Missing believed killed 3; wounded 103; wounded and prisoners 3; missing 54. |
| Personal & Family History |
| Birth Date/Place | Baptism Date/Place |
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| Jan Qtr 1896 in Hockley Heath | 18 Nov 1896 at Hockley Heath |
| Parents Names | Abode |
| James and Elizabeth Ferris | Marshall Lake Road, Shirley |
| Schools | Colleges |
| ~ | |
| Address History | Employment History |
| 1896 - Hockley Heath | 1901 - Hay thresher |
| 1901 - Spring Lane, Hockley Heath | 1911 - Servant (Page) |
| 1911 - Oak Lodge, Hockley Heath | |
| 1915 - Marshall Lake Road, Shirley | |

