Corporal George Franklin, killed on the Aisne, September 1914

From the War Memorial Display, “a Village at War” in the lane approaching the church.

 

Corporal George Franklin.

It seems George was underage when he enlisted with the Norfolk Regiment. He served in the Boer War, where he was shot in the foot, apparently aged just 16. He was called up upon the outbreak of WW1 and fought at Mons and Le Cateau, and was killed on the Aisne on 19 September 1914, aged 29 years. As George left for war, he said to his wife, “I shan’t look round because if I do, I shall not go!”

 

That soldier on CWGC is:-

 

FRANKLIN, GEORGE

Rank:……………………......Corporal

Service No:……………….6696

Date of Death:………….19/09/1914

Age:……………………….....29

Regiment:………………...Norfolk Regiment

……………………………......"D" Coy. 1st Bn.

Panel Reference:

Memorial:…………………LA FERTE-SOUS-JOUARRE MEMORIAL

Additional Information:

Son of Mrs. W. J. Franklin, of Leigate Fen, Ashwichen, King's Lynn, and the late Mr. W. J. Franklin; husband of Violet Victoria Franklin, of Caistor St. Edmonds, Norwich.

CWGC: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/878648/FRANKLIN,%20GE...

 

SDGW records that Corporal George Franklin was Killed in Action on the 14th September 1914 whilst serving with the 1st Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. He was born Gayton, Norfolk, and enlisted King’s Lynn, Norfolk. No place of residence is shown.

 

The Medal Index Card for Corporal 6696 George Franklin, 1st Norfolk Regiment, is held at the National Archive under reference WO 372/7/147259

discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D2233316

 

Some of his service records survived fire at the Warehouse where they were stored in 1941 – the result of a German incendiary attack in the Blitz.

 

He attested with the Norfolk Regiment on the 20th October 1903 at Norwich, giving his age then as 18 years and 10 months. He stated he was born Gayton, near Kings Lynn. He gave his trade as Teamman. He stated he had no previous service. He was given service number 6696.

 

There is an interesting section recording his height, weight and chest measurements at the time of enlistment and after six months service & a gymnastics course.

 

Height. Was 5 feet 4 and five eighths inches, became 5 feet 7 inches.

Weight was 127lbs became 149lbs.

Chest fully expanded was 34 inches became 38 and a quarter inches

Range of expansion was 2 inches became 2 and three quarter inches.

 

His complexion was recorded as fresh, his eyes were blue and his hair brown. He gave his religion as Baptist.

 

His next of kin was initially given as his father, William John, of Bawsey, Kings Lynn. This has been crossed through and then there are two elder brothers, William John, of the Norfolk Regiment and Austin (?) of Bawsey. Finally his wife has been added – Mrs V.V. Franklin, of Caistor St Edmund, Near Norwich.

 

There is a mention of a marriage certificate being received but there is not a copy or a note of its contents in what remains of his Service File.

 

Initially stationed at the Regimental Depot he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion on the 22nd February 1904. George achieved a 2nd Class Certificate of Education on the 3rd September 1904. He served in the UK until October 1905, arriving in South Africa on the 12th. On the 24th October 1905 he was appointed unpaid Lance Corporal. He also received at Good Conduct Badge. On the 28th December he extended his service to 8 years with the Colours receiving a pay rise in return. In February 1906 he was made a paid Lance-Corporal. For an incident on the 13th June 1906 he received a severe reprimand for Neglect of Duty at Bloemfontein but the circumstances are not recorded. He lost his Good Conduct Badge at the end of December 1907 for “Insolence to a Senior NCO”, (a Sergeant Loveday), and also received another Severe Reprimand.

 

George was in South Africa until mid-September 1908, arriving at Gibraltar on the 4th. October. In February 1911 he returned to the UK, having been posted as a Lance Corporal to the 1st Battalion. He arrived back on the 16th February 1911 and completed his service on the 25th October 1911, being posted to the Army Reserve.

 

His discharge form states he was looking for work as an attendant in a Lunatic Asylum. His qualifications included Engine Driver, having completed a Technical Training Class at Aldershot. He had two Good Conduct Badges as well as the 2nd Class Certificate of Education. There is an entry in the section about trade employment while with the regiment, but this has been water damaged with bits of other records stuck over it.

 

He was recalled to the Regiment on the 5th August 1914 and promoted Corporal in the 1st Battalion. He was recorded missing from his company on the 14th September 1914. There is what then looks like “1st Unofficial Update. Died from "Wounds received in actn" at Missy, 14th September 1914. His wife was notified of him being missing on the 12th October, followed up by a missing presumed killed on the 23rd.

 

In December 1914 there is a letter from his sister, Mrs C Sands, of 6 Bone Street, North Street, Kings Lynn, inquiring if anything had been heard.

 

By February 1916 there is a note in his file that his personal effects and medals were to be sent to a Mrs V.V. Franklin, of Caistor St Edmund, Near Norwich. Violet would sign for his medals in November 1921.

 

Following the end of the war, the Government of the day decided to pay a War Gratuity. In those cases where the individual had died, Army Form W.5080 was sent to the notified next of kin, asking for details of surviving family members. His Widow signed the form on the 13th May 1919 and had it witnessed by J.W. Corbould-Warren, rector of Caistor St Edmund, Caistor Hall.

 

The form followed the standard order of inheritance that applied at the time.

 

Widow of the Soldier: Violet Victoria Franklin, Caistor St Edmund Nr Norwich

Children of the Soldier and dates of their births.

Nelson George Franklin, March 30th 1913, and Annie Gwendoline Fleur(?) Franklin, January 20th 1915. Both of Caistor St Edmund.

Father of the Soldier: William John Franklin, Bausey nr Middleton, Kings Lynn

Mother of the Soldier: Mary Ann Franklin, Bausey nr Middleton, Kings Lynn

Full Blood Brothers of the Soldier: William John Franklin, aged 41, 3rd Norfolk Regiment, Victoria Barracks, Belfast, Ireland and Austin Franklin, aged 34, Shouldham Thorpe, Nr Downham Market, Norfolk.

Half Blood Brothers of the Soldier: None

Full Blood Sisters of the Soldier: Agnes Franklin, aged 28, Bausy Nr Middleton, Kings Lynn, Norfolk

Half Blood Sisters of the Soldier: None

 

(Note the records available have been merged with the papers of an unrelated Victor Franklin).

 

The International Red Cross received an enquiry from a Mrs Grissell, of The Grange, Thorpe, Norwich. ( I’ve seen the name before and I believe she may have been part of a Soldiers Welfare organisation, or the local Red Cross at the start of the war). It was asking after “Lance Sergeant” 6696 George Franklin, Norfolk Regiment. On the previous 6th September he had disappeared in the fighting between Mons and Soissons. Unfortunately the record card is undated. No information appears to have been forthcoming from the Germans, and at some point a “nothing heard” response was given.

grandeguerre.icrc.org/en/File/Details/4022644/3/2/

 

No match on Picture Norfolk, the County Image Archive.

 

The Government Probate Service holds a Soldiers Will for a 6696 George Franklin who died on the 14th September 1914.

probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Wills?Surname=Franklin&S...

 

The relevant panel on the memorial can be seen here

www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=562401...

 

 

1884/85 – Birth

 

The Birth of a George Franklin was recorded in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1885 in the Freebridge District District of Norfolk.

 

Freebridge District included Gayton.

 

The most likely birth of his future wife was was that of a Violet Victoria S Frost which was registered with the Civil Authorities in the Henstead District in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1887.

 

1891 Census of England and Wales

 

The 6 year old George, born Gayton, Norfolk, was recorded living at a dwelling on Lynn Road, Gayton. This was the household of his parents, William J., (aged 43, a Brick Maker, born Burnham Overy, Norfolk) and Mary Ann, (aged 40, born Gooderstone, Norfolk). As well as George their other children living with them are:-

William J…….aged 13…..born Gayton….Agricultural Labourer

Austin………..aged 9……born Gayton

Horace……….aged 3(?- tbc)..born Gayton

Agnes…….aged 4 months..born Gayton

 

There is no obvious match for anyone with the surname Frost on this census, but there is a 3 year old Violet “Victr” Elmer, born Poringland, Norfolk, who was recorded living at a dwelling on The Hill, Great Poringland. This was the household of her “parents”, Edgar Elmer, (30, an Agricultural Labourer born Pulham Market, Norfolk) and Ann B, (aged 23, born Bramerton, Norfolk. The couple also have a 1 year old son Arthur, (born “Dickleborough”, Norfolk) and a 6 month, (possibly weeks) old son Nelson, (born Poringland). The marriage of an Edgar Elmer to an Ann Bridget Frost was recorded in the Henstead District in the October to December quarter, (Q4), of 1888.

 

1901 Census of England and Wales

 

The Franklin family were now recorded living at 5, Bawsey Brickfield, Bawsey, Norfolk. As well as parents William J, (53, Brick Maker) and Mary A, (50, born “Goderstone”, children still single and living at home are Austin, (19, Brick Maker), George, (16, Teamster on Farm), and Agnes, (10).

 

The Elmer family were now recorded living at Turnpike Road, Scoulton, Norfolk. As well as parents Elmer, (45, Shepherd on Farm) and Ann, (31) and daughter Violet, (13), the couple have 5 other children.

 

1911 Census of England and Wales

 

The 26 year old Lance Corporal George Franklin, single and born Gayton, Norfolk, was recorded in barracks at Marlborough Lines Aldershot, Hartley Wintney, Hampshire.

 

His parents were recorded living at Bawsey, near Middleton, Norfolk. William, (63, a Brickmaker) and Mary Ann, (60), have been married for 39 years and have had 9 children, of which 4 were then still alive. Still single and living with them is their daughter Agnes, (20), who works as a Housemaid.

 

There is no obvious match for Violet under either her birth name of Frost or her stepfathers surname of Elmer. Her mother, the 43 year old widow Ann Elmer, was recorded as the head of the household at a dwelling on The Street, Poringland. She doesn’t say how long she was married, but she records that she has had 7 children, all then still alive. Still single and living with her are five of her children.

 

1913 – Marriage

 

The marriage of a George Franklin to a Violet V S Frost was recorded in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1913 in the Henstead District of Norfolk.

 

Until September 1911 the quarterly index published by the General Registrars Office did not show information about the mothers maiden name. A check of the General Registrars Office Index of Birth for England and Wales 1911 – 1983 shows two potential children of George and Violet. Both were registered with the surname Franklin, mothers maiden name Frost, in the Henstead District.

Nelson G…………..Q2 1913

Annie G R…………Q1 1915

(This ties in with the details on his service record).

 

1915 – Electoral Register

 

George Franklin is recorded as eligible to vote in County and Parish elections only, not Parliamentary ones. He is a (Male) householder of a dwelling house on Caistor Lane, Caistor St Edmund. The most likely explanation is that this is the first time he has been a householder and he will not complete the residency period to qualify as a Parliamentary voter during the lifetime of this register.

familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-D17R-GX?i=586&cc...

 

On the day

 

His service records show him missing from his unit on the 14th September 1914, and unofficially believed Died of Wounds received in action on that day. The 19th September date may come from a subsequent source, but as he is remembered on a Memorial to those with no known grave, it would seem likely his body was not recovered. The 19th may simply have been the first official roll-call at which he was formally recorded as missing.

 

From “The Doings of the 15th Infantry Brigade” by Edward Lord Gleichen

 

14th September 1914

 

When we were across it was difficult to discover the battalions asleep in the fields, and when we had found them and it was time to start it was difficult to wake them.

 

However, we moved off just as it was getting light; but it was not easy to find the way, for there was no path at first. We had orders to go viâ Bucy-le-Long to Sainte Marguerite, and found the villages right enough, for they were close together. But as we moved into Sainte Marguerite, with a good many other troops in front of us, we became aware that there was an unnecessary number of bullets flying about, and that our fellows in front were being held up.

 

The village was held by the 12th Brigade (4th Division), and the 14th Brigade was somewhere on our right. The Dorsets were our leading battalion, and they were pushed on to help the 12th, and filled a gap in their line on the hill above the village front at the eastern end. But there we stuck for a long time. The enemy's artillery had meanwhile opened on us, and shells began to crash overhead and played the devil with the tiles and the houses. But they did not do us much harm.

 

We now received orders to move on to Missy (not a mile off to the right) and clear the Chivres ridge of the enemy and push on to Condé and take that if possible-rather a "large order." The difficulty was to get to Missy, for the road thither was spattered with bullets, and shells were bursting all along it. However, by dint of careful work we moved out bit by bit, cutting through the gardens and avoiding the road, and taking advantage of a slight slope in the ground by which we could sneak to the far side of the little railway embankment which led to Missy Station.

 

It took a long time, and I made what proved to be the serious mistake of staying to the end in order to see the whole Brigade clear of Sainte Marguerite. I ought really to have gone ahead with the first party to reconnoitre; for just as we were starting after the rear company I stopped to write a message to the Division in answer to one which had just arrived, and at that moment a hellish shrapnel, machine-gun, and rifle fire was opened, not only on the village but on all the exits therefrom, and this fire lasted for nearly two hours.

 

One simply could not make the attempt; it would have been certain death. And so we had to sit in the tiny courtyard of one of the houses, with our backs against the wall, and listen to the inferno overhead, whilst the proprietor's wife plied us with most acceptable roast potatoes and milk.

 

I wrote a lot of messages during those two hours, but whether they all got through or not I do not know: some of the messengers never came back. Colonel Seely turned up at one moment-from General Headquarters, I think-demanding information. This I supplied, and made use of him to take some of my orders back; it really was quite a new sensation giving orders to a recent Secretary of State for War.

 

At one time two or three artillery waggons appeared in the little main street and remained there quietly for a bit under a heavy fire, but only losing a man or two slightly wounded. Then suddenly there was a loud crack overhead, and half a dozen horses were lying struggling and kicking on the ground, with great pools of blood forming in the road and four or five prostrate men in them. It was a horrible sight for us, for the shell had burst just opposite the gate of our courtyard. But the gunners behaved magnificently, and a farrier sergeant gave out his orders as quietly and unconcernedly as if he had been on parade. I took his name with a view to recommendation, but regret that I have forgotten it by now.

 

We also had some very unpleasant shaves at this time in our own courtyard. Twice did a shell burst just above the house and drive holes in the roof, bringing down showers of tiles; the second time practically all the tiles fell on me and nearly knocked me down. I do not know why they did not hurt me more-luckily the house was a low one; but they merely bruised my back.

 

At last, in a lull, we managed to get away, and sneaked out at a run--through a yard and back garden, behind a farm, out at the back behind a fold in the ground, then across a wide open field and on to the low railway embankment, behind which we ducked, and made our way to the little station of Missy and up behind some scattered houses to near the church.

 

Here, after some trouble, we got the commanding officers together, and arranged to push on and attack the wooded ridge above the town. The force was rather mixed. I had met Rolt (commanding the 14th Brigade)on the way, and we had settled that I should collect whatever of his men I could get together in Missy and join them to my attacking party. The difficulty was that it was already getting late-4.30 P.M. and that there was insufficient time for a thorough reconnaissance, though we did what we could in that direction. However, my orders from the Divisional Commander had been to take the ridge, and I tried to do it.

 

I had got together three companies of the Norfolks, three of the Bedfords, two Cheshires (in reserve), two East Surreys (14th Brigade), and two Cornwalls (13th Brigade, who had arrived , viâ the broken bridge at Missy and some rafts hastily constructed there) twelve companies altogether.

 

But when they pushed forward it became very difficult, for there turned out to be too many men for the space. What I had not known was that, though they could advance up a broad clearing to more than halfway up the hill, this clearing was bounded on both flanks, as it gradually drew to a point, by high 6-feet wire netting just inside the wood, so that the men could not get properly into the wood, but were gradually driven in towards the point, where the only entrance to the wood occurred.

 

Luckily the Germans had not noticed this either or there would have been many more casualties than there were. As it was, a company of the East Surrey and another one (Allason's) of the Bedfords did get through to the top of the wood and on to the edge of the open plateau; but this I did not hear of till later. When the greater part of the force had got through the opening into the wood they found a few Germans there and drove them back, killing some. Then they surged on to a horse-shoe-shaped road further on in the wood, and some men lost their direction and began firing in front of them at what they thought were Germans. But they were others of our own, and these began firing back, also without knowing that they were their friends.

 

Consequently, although casualties were few, an unpleasant situation arose, and numbers of men turned about and retired down the hill into Missy, saying that our artillery was firing into them. This may have been true, for some shells were bursting over the wood; but whether they were English or German I do not know to this day.

 

Anyhow, the stream of men coming back increased. They fell back into the village, and then came some certainly German shells after them. For an unpleasant quarter of an hour the little sloping village of Missy was heavily shelled by shrapnel; but the walls of the houses were thick, and though of course there were a certain number of casualties, they were not serious as long as the men kept close to the south side of the walls. Beilby (our Veterinary officer) for some reason would keep to the wrong side of the street and was very nearly killed, the fuse of a shell landing with a whump on a door not two feet in front of him, and a shrapnel bullet going through his skirt pocket; but he was not touched. The shrapnel were in bursts of four, and luckily Moulton-Barrett noticed it, for he calmly held up the stream of men till the fourth shell had burst, and then let as many as possible past the open space there till the next bunch arrived, when he stopped them behind cover, just like a London policeman directing traffic.

 

I remember one man falling, as we thought dead, close to where the Staff were standing. But he groaned, and Weatherby ran to pick him up. There was, however, no wound of any sort on him, and after a minute he got up and went on. I think he must have been knocked down by the wind of a shell, for he certainly was as much astonished as we were at finding no damage on himself.

 

By this time I had given orders that the troops were to retire to their previous positions in and near the village, and it was getting dusk.

 

Luard (Norfolks) and a party of twenty-five men were well ahead in the wood, and received the order to retire, for Luard was heard shouting it to his men. But nothing has since been heard of him, and I much regret to say that he was either taken prisoner with most of his men, or, more probably, killed.

 

A message now came down from the plateau saying that some East Surreys and Bedfords were still up in the wood, and should they retire or hold on? As it was nearly dark and I consequently could not support them, for if the men could not get through the wire-netting in daylight they could hardly do so at night, I told them to retire. I gave this order after I had consulted Rolt, who was somewhere west of the village; but even if Rolt had not been there I should have given it, for it would have been impossible to reinforce them adequately in the circumstances.

 

So I issued orders for an early reconnaissance and attack next morning, to be led by the Norfolks; and the troops covered their front with sentries and bivouacked in and round the village. We were all short of food that night, for none of our supply carts, and not even a riding-horse, had come with us. But all or most of the men had an "iron ration" on them, and this they consumed, with the "unexpired" portion of their previous day's ration.

 

The Bedfords took up their position along the railway to the west, Cheshires on the right, Norfolks right front of village, D.C.L.I. Left front.

 

As for the Staff, we retired to a farm called La Bizaie, three-quarters of a mile south of Missy, and close to the river, and took up our quarters there. There was not a whole pane of glass in the house, for it had been heavily bombarded, being empty, except for a few wounded, during the day, and great craters had been formed close by the walls by the Black Marias. But except at one corner of the roof of an outhouse, no damage had been done to the buildings, except the broken glass.

 

It was a very old farmhouse, as we found out afterwards, part of it dating back to 1200 and something. Curiously enough, there was a photograph of an English Colonel (of the R.A.M.C.) on the sideboard, a friend, so the farm servants told us, of the owner, whose name I have forgotten. The buildings were very superior to the ordinary farm type, and more like a comfortable country house than one would expect, but there were plenty of barns as well, and some pigs and chickens running about.

 

We bought, murdered, and ate an elderly chicken, but otherwise there was devilish little to eat except a store of jam, and we had only a very few biscuits and no bread.

 

"Advance from Mons" by Walter Bloehm apparently tells the German side of the encounter including the ambush of a patrol of the 1st Norfolks on the evening of the 14th – all killed. The German author heard the incident and was told the details the next day by a Sergeant who was involved.

1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=84736

 

Done