Name
Francis Henry Nash (MC)
18 November 1883
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
18/07/1917
33
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Captain
North Staffordshire (Prince of Wales’s) Regiment
9th Bn.,
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Military Cross
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
KEMMEL CHATEAU MILITARY CEMETERY
L.52
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
HE, BEING MADE PERFECT IN A SHORT TIME FULFILLED A LONG TIME
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Welwyn Garden City memorials
Pre War
Francis Henry Nash was born on 18 November 1883 at Frieth, Henley on Thames, (Hambden) Bucks, the eldest son of Rev Francis Lochie Nash & Katherine Alice Nash (nee Cripps) and one of five children.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at Lane End Vicarage, Fingest, High Wycombe, Bucks where his father was the Vicar. A Domestic Nurse and House Maid were also listed.
He was educated at Sir W Borlase's School, Marlow, Bradfield College & Queen's College, Oxford and obtained a BA degree in 1907, after which he went to South Africa as tutor to Lord Selbourne's son.
He became Junior Inspector (later HM Inspector) for the Board of Education in 1909 and on the 1911 Census he was living alone at 35 Ferndale Road, Sefton Park, Liverpool.
His parents lived at The Vicarage, Lane End, High Wycombe, Bucks at the time of his death and later moved to "Peacepool", Bridge Road, Welwyn Garden City, Herts.
Wartime Service
Francis enlisted in August 1914 and joined the University & Public Schools Corps (Royal Fusiliers) as Private 704.
In January 1915 he became 2nd Lieutenant in North Staffs Regt, and went to France on 29 July 1915. He was promoted to Lieutenant in December 1916 and Captain in February 1917. He was Mentioned in Dispatches in May 1917 and awarded the Military Cross for gallant and distinguished service in the field in July 1917.
Francis was killed in action on 18 July 1917, aged 33, while reconnoitring near Kemmel. His CO wrote "he was leading his men down a trench when the enemy started shelling. He halted his men and went forward with his orderly to see what was doing, and in returning to his men a shell landed in the trench killing both him and his orderly. The regiment to-day is very depressed. Your son was the best officer I had and the most popular in the regiment and his loss will be felt very much". He also described Captain Nash as "the bravest man I ever met".
He is buried at Kemmel Chateur Military Cemetery, Belgium.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £5 and pay owing of £156 0s 10d. Probate granted to father on 10 October1917 with effects of £2314. 7s 4d. Listed in Du Ruvigny's Roll of Honour.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Brenda Palmer
