Name
Frank Kimpton
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
22/08/1915
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
1970
Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
13th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LONE PINE MEMORIAL
38
Turkey (including Gallipoli)
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Rickmansworth UDC Memorial, St Mary’s Church Roll of Honour, Rickmansworth, Watford Grammar School Memorial, Watford Grammar School Book of Remembrance
Pre War
His parents, John (Job) William and Annie Kimpton married at St Saviours Chelsea in 1884 and Frank was born in 1888 in Rickmansworth Road, Northwood.
In 1891 he was living at Rickmansworth Road, Northwood, with his father, a farmer, his sister, Annie, aged 4, a housekeeper, and another servant. His mother had died in 1888, aged 38, the death being registered in Uxbridge. Frank’s father died in 1899 in Northwood. In 1901 Frank and his sister Annie were living at Little Tolpits Cottage with their grandfather, Henry East, a farmer, aged 81.Frank attended Watford Grammar School for Boys from 1902-1904.
The Register of admission of scholars gives his guardian as Jane Kimpton, cousin, living at Elizabeth Villa Rickmansworth, occupation laundress. His fees were payable by Messrs Broad and Riggle, 31 Queens Road, Watford. Frank may have been in Australia in 1911 as it has not been possible to locate him in the census.
The National Probate calendar shows that he left a sum of £1552 11s 6d.
Wartime Service
Frank Kimpton enlisted on 20/1/1915 in Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia. He embarked from Sydney on the ‘Kyarra’ on 13/4/1915, arriving at Suez on 27/5/1915. His enlistment papers show that he was a miner. His sister, Mrs Sadler of Campbell Hill Road, Guildford, NSW was given as his next of kin. He was described as being 5ft 71/2 ins, weighing 149 lb, with fair complexion, blue eyes, dark brown hair, and being a British subject. The War diaries describe training in Cairo from March, arriving at Anzac Cove on 26/4/1915. On August 21st there was an attack ‘the front line rushed forward to the assault and in spite of heavy casualties reached the objective and commenced digging in. The 2nd and 3rd lines arrived, suffering casualties from machine gun fire. Steps taken to strengthen position. The 13th Battalion suffered losses of 5 officers and 98 other ranks either killed, wounded or missing.
Frank was killed in action on the Gallipoli Peninsula after 8 months service.The receipt for his Memorial Scroll, Memorial Plaque and King’s message was sent from his sister Annie. Lone Pine memorial is the main Australian Memorial on Gallipoli. It commemorates the 3268 Australians and 456 New Zealanders who have no known grave. It stands over the centre of the Turkish trenches and tunnels which were the scene of heavy fighting during the August offensive.
In September 1915, St Mary’s Church magazine reported ‘This week sad news has reached us that Frank Kimpton who left us for Australia a few years ago has been killed with many others in the Australian contingent in the Dardenelles.’
Additional Information
The published Watford Grammar School Book of Remembrance entry reads:
“KIMPTON, FRANK. School period: September, 1902, to 'July, 1904. Private, 13th Battalion, Australians. Killed in action at the Dardanelles, 22nd August, 1915, after eight months' service. ”
The National Probate calendar shows that he left a sum of £1552 11s 6d.
Acknowledgments
Pat Hamilton
Malcolm Lennox, P. Hamilton
