Name
Arthur Frank (known as Frank)
1899
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
15/07/1918
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
81683
Durham Light Infantry
5th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LILLE SOUTHERN CEMETERY
III. B. 6.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Kimpton War Memorial, High Street, Kimpton, Wooden Memorial Plaque, West End of Nave, Kimpton Parish Church, Peters Green Baptist Chapel, Peters Green, St Thomas' Church Memorial, Perry Green, Not on the King's Walden memorials
Pre War
Arthur Frank Smith (known as Frank) was born in 1899 in Kings Walden, Herts, the son of William Henry Smith a Farm Labourer and Amy Smith (nee Burgess) and the youngest of two sons.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at Peters Green, nr Kimpton, Herts where his father was working as a farm labourer. The family remained in Peters Green in 1911 with his father again working as a farm labourer. His brother Horace had left school and was an Apprentice Marine Engineer and Frank was at school.
At the time of enlistment in June 1917, Frank was working as a Railway Porter.
His mother Amy died in 1918, while he was in France.
Wartime Service
Frank enlisted at Luton, Beds on 21 June 1917, aged 18 years and 1 month, and was posted to the 9th Training Reserve Battalion, with the service number 81683. He arrived in France on 31 March 1918, possibly with the West Riding Regiment, later being transferred to the 5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry on 3 April 1918.
He was taken a Prisoner of War a few days later on 12 April 1918, and died in a German Military Hospital in Lille, France, on 15 July 1918. Red Cross records state that he died of a war related sickness. He is buried in Lille Southern Cemetery, Lille, France.
Additional Information
His brother Horace received a payment of £20 19s 5d, which included a war gratuity of £7 and pay owing of £13 19s 5d.
Miss K Burgess of Frogmore Lodge, Park Street, St Albans, Herts received his personal property and medals.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne, Brenda Palmer
