Name
Francis Boase Broad (MC)
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
24/10/1918
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant/Acting Captain
Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment)
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Military Cross
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
MONTAY-NEUVILLY ROAD CEMETERY, MONTAY
Plot IV, Row B, Grave 7.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, St Michael and All Angels Church Memorial, Watford, St Mary's Parish Church Memorial, Watford
Pre War
Son of Thomas John and Amelia Florence (nee COLES) BROAD of Watford.
His parents married 24 May 1893 at St Andrew’s, Watford. Thomas died 14 December 1920 in Watford aged 68, and was buried 17 December in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; Amelia died 13 April 1930 in Watford aged 62, and was buried 16 April, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
There is an article about Amelia in Watford in the 20th Century volume 1, amongst the Movers and Shakers.
Francis was born 20 April 1895 in Watford, and baptised 30 June 1895 at St Andrew’s, Watford. He was educated at St. Lawrence's College in Ramsgate and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.
He has an entry in the National Probate Calendar.
On the 1901 Census, aged 5 he lived in Watford, with his parents and two siblings. On the 1911 Census, a student aged 15, he lived in Ramsgate, Kent.
Wartime Service
Francis volunteered on the outbreak of war and enlisted in the Public Schools and University Battn. in August 1914. He was gazetted 2nd Lieut. 1st Middlesex Regt. in May 1915, promoted to Lieut in Nov 1916, and made up to Capt. in July 1918.
He served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from May 1915, being invalided home with injuries accidentally received in September 1915. In 1916 he was severely wounded on the Somme and invalided home once more. He returned to France in November 1917 and was killed in action near Englefontaine and buried behind the lines.
His Lieutenant wrote:
"During the advance on the 24th Oct, we were held up by machine-gun fire, which was causing no end of trouble; we managed to get up to within 50 yards of it, then your son gave us orders to charge it, which we did, and succeeded in capturing the position. Your son led the charge, and was the first to enter the position. As the enemy were retreating, he seized a rifle and commenced firing at them; it was while firing he got hit, and died instantly."
He was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals, his qualifying date being 26 May 1915, and was killed in action. The medals were sent to his father of Watford. The award of the Military Cross for gallantry in the field was gazetted 24 September 1918.
Additional Information
There are articles about Francis in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 12 June 1915, 5 August 1916, 27 July 1918, 5 October 1918, and 9 November 1918; with a Death announcement in the last issue. He has a listing in that De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour.
Francis and his brother John are also commemorated on the family headstone in Watford Cemetery. Their inscription reads:
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
JOHN ERIC BROAD. LIEUT. 1ST HERTS REGT. BORN 26TH APRIL 1894. KILLED AT MONT ST. QUENTIN 23RD MARCH 1918.
ALSO OF
FRANCES BOASE BROAD M.C. CAPT. 1ST MIDDX REGT. BORN 20TH APRIL 1895 KILLED NEAR ENGLEFONTAINE 14TH OCTOBER 1916.
ELDER SONS OF MR. T. J. BROAD OF THIS TOWN.
IN AUGUST 1914 THEY CHEERFULLY ANSWERED “THE CALL” AND BRAVELY AND LOYALLY SERVED THEIR KING AND COUNTRY UNTIL THEY EACH MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE.
BURIED IN FRANCE
Acknowledgments
Derry Warners
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
