Name
Frank Rainbow
1886
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
13/11/1916
30
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
3840
Hertfordshire Regiment
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 12 C.
France
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Church of St Nicholas Memorial, Norton, Letchworth Town Memorial, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Frank Rainbow was born in Lower Stondon, Shillington, Beds., in 1886 to Samuel Rainbow, market gardener, and Annie (nee Jenkins).
On the 1891 Census the family of parents, Thomas (born 1882), Frank, Selina (born 1887), Sarah Ann (born 1886), and Ambrose (born 1891) were living at Lower Stondon, Shillington, Beds.
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Frank (market gardener), Elsie (born 1895) and Louisa (born 1897) were living at Prospect Terrace, Clarkes Lane, Baldock. The father was a market gardener & vegetable dealer.
On the 1911 Census the family of parents, Frank (a carman), Ambrose (baker), Elsie (assistant) and Louisa were living at 46, Green Lane, Letchworth, Herts.
Frank married Rose Ingrey in 1911 in Hitchin. There would be children : Sidney Frank (born 27 Oct 1912), Gwendolene May (born 10 Oct 1915, died 6 Mar 1913), Edward Maurice (born 10 Oct 1915, died 29 Apr 1917) and Samuel Frank (born 18 Jul 1914).
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found for Frank who enlisted as a Territorial Soldier in the Hertfordshire Regiment as Private 3840 about Nov/ Dec 1914.Having volunteered for foreign service he went to join 1st/1st Battalion of the Regiment in the Bethune area on 17 Aug 1915. He joined them as they became part of 6 Brigade 2 Division and took part in the Battle of Loos (25 Sep-8 Oct 1915).
In Feb 1916 the Battalion moved to 118 Brigade 39 Division and fought in the Battles of the Somme at Thiepval 26-28 Sep), Ancre Heights (1 Oct-11 Nov) and Ancre (13-19 Nov).In this last action on 13 Nov that the Battalion with the Cambridges launched an attack from Schwaben Redoubt capturing their objective of the Hansa Line from the Germans. Over 250 prisoners were taken. Frank was reported Killed in Action on 13 Nov 1916, his remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £8 10s and arrears of £10 2s 10d was paid to his widow Rose who also received a pension of 22s 11d.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Dan Hill, Ellen Barnes, Jonty Wild
