Name
Frank Christopher Denman
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
17/08/1917
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
Royal Field Artillery
84th Battery, 11th Brigade
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BLEUET FARM CEMETERY
I. C. 27.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Watford Conservative Club Memorial, Not on the Bushey memorials(*1), Royal Artillery War Commemoration Book
Pre War
Son of Emily Charlotte BALLINGER (formerly DENMAN, nee CRUICKSHANKS), and the late Frank Turner DENMAN; husband of Dorothy Margaret (nee SPIVEY) DENMAN.
His parents married 26 June 1893 at St Margaret’s, Westminster, London. Frank died 30 October 1903 in Willesden, Middx, aged 39, and was buried 5 November at St James’, Bushey, Herts. His death was reported in The Daily Mirror on 4th November 1903 that “Before his wife’s eyes, Mr Frank Turner Denman, of 56, London-road, Bushey, managing clerk for a firm of underwriters at Lloyds, was killed by a train at wilsden junction whilst crossing the lines to reach a platform on which she was waiting for him. Mrs. Denman bravely but vainly tried to save her husband by dragging him up on the platform. A verdict of accidental death was returned at the inquest.”
Emily remarried 1906 in the Wandsworth, London, district to Louis Charles BALLINGER. She died 28 August 1936 in Bushey aged 68, and was buried 31 August at St James’, Bushey; Louis died 23 March 1939 in Bushey aged 67, and was buried 29 March, also at St James.
Frank was born 28 May 1894 in Bushey(*1), and baptised 2 September 1894 at St James’, Bushey. Educated at Milton House School and Emmanuel School, Wandworth
He married Dorothy Margaret Spivey on 21 November 1916 at St Thomas’, Portman Square, London. The marriage was announced in the Observer dated 25 November 1916. Dorothy never remarried and died 18 January 1930 in Watford, and was buried 22 January in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford.
On the 1901 Census, aged 6 he lived in New Bushey, with his parents and one sibling. On the 1911 Census, appearing as Christopher, he was an insurance clerk aged 17, he lived in Watford, with his mother, step-father and two siblings.
He had previously been a Corporal in the Emanual School, Wandsworth, London, O.T.C. He attested in the Territorial Force 4 years’ service in the U.K. 22 April 1912 at Armoury House, Finsbury Square, London: a clerk to an insurance broker aged 17, 5’7″ tall; Driver 313 ‘A’ Battery Honourable Artillery Company.
Wartime Service
Frank commenced war service as Corporal 313 in the H.A.C. (Honourable Artillery Company)
had been a Corporal in the Officer Training Corps at Emanual School, Wandsworth, London before joining the Territorial Force on 22 April 1912 for four years' service in the U.K. He served at Home from 22 April 1912 until 26 January 1915 when, aged 20, he was appointed to a commission as Second Lieutenant with the Royal Field Artillery.
He was appointed Adjutant to the 11th Brigade Royal Field Artillery on 1 April 1916 and was wounded accidentally on 28 April 1916 and sent to the 7th Stationary Hospital on 29 April 1916. He was returned to duty on 2 May 1916 and later killed in action on 17 August 1917. He had been mentioned in despatches and was said to be a “promising officer, popular with all who knew him, and his officers have written in glowing terms of his work in the Army.”
There is a brief article, dated 20 February 1915, about Frank in the Watford Illustrated and an article about and Death announcement for him in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 25 August 1917. Also, an In Memoriam in the issue dated 17 August 1918.
Additional Information
After his death sims of £4 2s 2d and 19s 3d were authorised as his Army Effects in 1917-18 and then £4 2s 0d in 1918-19. Plus war gratuities totalling £59.
*1 Census records found have recorded his birthplace as Bushey and Watford, we believe the former to be correct.
*2 One record gives his date of death as the 16th which is beleieved to be wrong.
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
