Name
Francis James Blain
1889
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/07/1918
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
2615
Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
32nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VIGNACOURT BRITISH CEMETERY
Plot IV, Row D. Grave 10
France
Headstone Inscription
THY WILL BE DONE
UK & Other Memorials
Codicote Village Memorial, Peace Memorial Hall, Codicote, Not on the Knebworth memorials(*1)
Pre War
Francis James Blain was born in 1889 in Knebworth, Herts to Arthur William and Harriett Blain (nee Titmuss) and was baptised in St Mary's, Knebworth on 3 November 1889.
He was educated at Codicote National School and Luton Higher Grade School. On the 1901 Census the family were living in High Street, Codicote, where his father was a butcher.
He emigrated with his brother Herbert, to Albany, Australia on 13 October 1910 on the P&O ship Geelong. Lived at Mt Arrowsmith, Bruce Rock, Perth, Australia and worked as a farmer.
Wartime Service
Francis enlisted at Bruce Rock, Perth, Western Australia in March 1916 and joined the Australian Imperial Force on the 1st of May together with his brother Herbert.
He was appointed Lance Corporal in June 1917, wounded by shrapnel on 23 October 1917 and sent to Napsbury Hospital in St Albans, England. He was later transferred to the Red Cross Hospital, Welwyn (probably Digswell House) until the end of March and rejoined his battalion in June 1918.
Francis died on 25 July 1918 at the 61st Casualty Clearing Station at Vignacourt, from wounds received in action (shell wound to the left hip, buttock, thigh and fractured left forearm). He was buried the next day at Vignacourt British Cemetery, Rev. G A B Boycott officiating.
Additional Information
*1 Recorded as born in Knebworth, but is not clear whether this was ‘Old’ or ‘New’ Knebworth or indeed perhaps recorded as the nearest 'large' town to Codicote. Brother of Herbert William Blain also named on the memorial.
Acknowledgments
Derry Warners, Brenda Palmer
Brenda Palmer, June Colegrove, Roll-of-Honour.com
