Name
Francis Pond
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
03/05/1917
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
G/42262
Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment)
12th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
Bay 7.
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Potters Bar, Little Heath & Bentley Heath Memorial, Potters Bar, All Souls Chapel Book of Remembrance, Potters Bar
Pre War
Francis Pond was born in Chalvey in 1897 to Francis Claris Pond, Metropolitan Police constable, and Kate (nee Penifer).
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Ellen (born 1896), Francis, Charles (born 1898) and William (born 1901) were living at Southgate Road, South Mimms.
On the 1911 Census the family of parents, Francis now a garden boy), Charles, William, Kate (born 1905), George (born 1907), Reginald (born 1909) and Edith (born 1910) were living at 1 Melbourne Cottage, Southgate Road, Potters Bar. There would be a daughter Grace Winifred Pond (born 1914)
Wartime Service
Francis enlisted as Private 5664 Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment. No Service record was found for Francis.
He was at some time posted to 12 (Service Battalion as Private G/42262. As art of 18 (Eastern) Division the 12 Battalion, Middlesex took part in the Battles of the Somme in 1916 from Albert (1 July and others up to including Ancre Heights 1 Oct-11 Nov 1916 and in 1917 were still present in Operations on the Ancre (11 Jan- 12 Mar 1917 and also taking part in the 3rd Battle of the Scarpe (3-4 May 1917) as part of the Arras Offensive. Francis was posted as Missing during this latter action and his death was declared killed in action on or since 3 May 1917. His remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Arras Memorial.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £6 and arrears of £2 1s 5d was paid to his father.Brother Charles served as Driver at Artillery school Territorial Force and remustered as Gunner in May 1918 serving in France surviving the war.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
