Name
(Francis) William Cyril Dines
7 Oct 1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/04/1917
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
23125
Bedfordshire Regiment
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
Bay 5.
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Harpenden Town Memorial,
Church of St Nicholas Memorial, Harpenden
Pre War
Francis William Cyril was born in Harpenden on 7 October 1894, son of William Dines and Ada( nee Swallow).
On the 1911 Census the family were living at Burns Cottage, Cowper Road, Harpenden and was working as a Newspaper Boy
Wartime Service
Francis was enlisted in the 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. The 4th Battalion had gone to France on 25 Jul 1916.
He had been promoted to Serjeant. On the 23rd April 1917 the Battalion at 4.45 a.m. attacked the village of Gravelle on the opening of the Battle of Arras. The attack was successful, and a counter attack later was repulsed, the casualties of the day were 260 other ranks. Francis was reported missing and was later reported to have been killed in action on 23 April 1917.
He is remembered on the Arras Memorial.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £9 and arrears of £9 8s 8d paid to his father.
We believe that Francis William Cyril Dines appears as William in some records.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild. Mary Skinner, Harpenden & District Local History Society (www.harpenden-history.org.uk)
