Name
Frederick Edward Franklin
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
30/09/1918
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
30808
Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent) Regiment
10th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LIJSSENTHOEK MILITARY CEMETERY
XXIV.E.26A.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Rickmansworth Urban District Memorial,
St. Mary’s Church Memorial, Rickmansworth,
Watford Grammar School Memorial,
Watford Grammar School Book of Remembrance
Pre War
Born in Rickmansworth on the 25th of February 1899 Frederick was the son of Frederick and Mary Ann (nee Harvey) Franklin.
On the 1901 census they were living Rosebank Cottages, 1 High Street, Rickmansworth. Frederick senior was a Mineral Water Manufacturer. In 1911 they were still in the High Street and Frederick junior now had two siblings Irene 8 and Ivy 4.
Frederick was a nephew of William Franklin who went missing presumed dead on the 29th of April 1917.
Recorded as enlisting in Watford.
Wartime Service
Formerly No 29418 Royal West Surrey Regiment.
The 10th Battalion was formed at Maidstone on the 3rd of May 1915 by Lord Harris Vice Lieutenant of Kent . It was initially attached to 118th Brigade 39th Division but in October 1915 transferred to 123rd Brigade 41st Division.
They landed in France on the 4th of May 1916, moved to Italy in November 1917 and back to France March 1918. On the 28th of September the Battalion reached the East side of the Ypres- Comines Canal and attacked the enemy the next day coming under heavy machine gun fire, but reaching a line east of Houthem.
Frederick may have suffered his fatal wounds at this time as over the 29th and 30th the Battalion lost 38 killed, 95 wounded and 20 missing.
Additional Information
The published Watford Grammar School Book of Remembrance entry reads:
“FRANKLIN, FREDERICK EDWARD. School period: January, 1912, to December, 1913. Private, Royal West Kent Regiment. France. Died of wounds, 30th September, 1918.”
Frederick and his uncle William are also commemorated on the family headstone in Rickmansworth (Chorley Road) Cemetery. Frederick's inscription reads:
ALSO FREDERICK FRANKLIN.
ROYAL WEST KENTS: DIED SEPTEMBER. 30TH 1918, AGED 19 YEARS
INTERRED IN POPERINGE CEMETERY.
ROYAL WEST KENTS: DIED SEPTEMBER. 30TH 1918, AGED 19 YEARS
INTERRED IN POPERINGE CEMETERY.
Acknowledgments
Malcolm Lennox, Tanya Britton, Mike Collins
