Name
Francis John Halsey
1891
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/08/1916
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
L/13504
Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment)
11th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VARENNES MILITARY CEMETERY
I. A. 15.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Abbots Langley memorials
Pre War
Francis John Halsey was born in Putney, Surrey in 1890, the son of John and Elizabeth Halsey and was baptised at All Saints Church, Caldonian Road, Islington on 31 August 1891, along with his older brother Frederick.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at 43 Charlotte Street, Islington, where his father was working as a warehouseman. By 1901 they had moved to 9 Clarendon Road, Tottenham and his father is recorded as being in the Royal Reserve Hussars. Francis also joined the army and enlisted in Mill Hill in December 1910 into the Middlesex Regiment, giving his home address as Putney. He had been working for Messrs M Beverley & Co. Grocers as a porter and had served with the Special Reserve. He served at home from 19 April 1911 to 9 January 1913, then the East Indies from January 1913 to November 1914.
On the 1911 Census he was recorded as a patient in the Scots Guards Hospital, Eastbourne, Sussex, and was a Private with the 6th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. He was suffering from pneumonia and spent 20 days in hospital. In late 1913 he was in Cawnpore, India, and was again hospitalised, this time with Dengue fever, a mosquito borne infection causing flu-like symptoms. In March and April 1914 he suffered bronchitis and spent 6 days in hospital.
His father died in 1916 in Whitechapel, London, aged 53
Wartime Service
Francis was a serving soldier at the outbreak of war and served in France from 18 January 1915. He was posted to the 6th Battalion in May 1915, later being promoted to Lance Corporal in March 1916 and appointed Acting Corporal on 4 July 1916,
Francis was wounded in action on 10 August 1916 and died the following day from his wounds, aged 25. He is buried in Varennes Military Cemetery, France.
Additional Information
His mother Elizabeth received a war gratuity of £12 10s and a portion of pay owing of 18s 8d. The remaining portion of £10 pay owing was paid to legatee Miss Queenie Stribling. A pension card exists with his mother as dependant but gives no details of the amount paid, if any. Her address was given as 178 Kilburn Park Road, London, NW6.
It is likely that this soldier does not have a direct connection to Abbots Langley, other than being the son of Mrs. E. Halsey, of Abbots Langley, Herts who was born in Bedmond, nr Abbots Langley.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild
