Name
Frank Ridley Farrer Boileau
29 November 1867
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
28/08/1914
46
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Colonel
Royal Engineers
attd. as G.S.O.1 to 3rd Div. General Staff
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Mentioned in Despatches
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TERLINCTHUN BRITISH CEMETERY, WIMILLE
16. A.B. 1.
France
Headstone Inscription
AMAVIMUS AMAMUS AMABIMUS
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, Lustleigh War Memorial, Devon, Camberley Memorial Cross, Surrey
Pre War
Frank Ridley Farrer Boileau was born in Lucknow, India on 29 November 1867, the son of Colonel Francis William and Letitia Boileau and one of 9 children. He was baptised in Lucknow on 23 December 1867.
He was educated at Cheltenham College (1882-1885) and gazetted 2nd Lieutenant Royal Engineers on 16 Feb 1887, promoted Lieutenant 16 Feb 1890, Captain 27 July 1897 and Brevet Major 29 November 1900.
He took part in many operations in India and the South African War (Boer War) and was Mentioned in Despatches for operations at Zilikat's Nek.
On the 1901 Census he was listed at the HM Staff College, Frimley, Surrey as a single 33 year old Captain in the Royal Engineers. His parents were then living at Elstowe, High Street, Camberley, Surrey.
He married Mary Aurora Tudor, daughter of Rev Prebendary Tudor of Lustleigh, Devon in Newton Abbott in early 1902 and later the same year took part in the coronation of King Edward VII in the King's procession.
He moved through the ranks, being promoted to Major 12 August 1905, Lieutenant Colonel 31 March 1906 and Colonel 21 Jan 1910. At that time he was a professor at the Indian Staff College, 1st Grade in Southern Command.
He had three sons, Etienne Henry Tudor, Peter Claude and Hugh Evan Ridley with his wife Aurora and they lived at Brigmerston Farm, Wilton, near Salisbury, Wiltshire. His widow later lived at Windout Hill House, Exeter.
Wartime Service
He served with the British Expeditionary Force in France in early August 1914 with General Smith-Dorrien's II Corps at the Battles of Mons and Le Cateau where they faced seemingly overwhelming odds and suffered more than 7,800 casualties and lost 38 guns.
He died from gunshot wounds on 28 August 1914 in hospital in Boulogne. France. Some sources suggest the wounds were self-inflicted. Reports at the time describe the level of stress and fatigue of the B.E.F. and senior officers collapsing with exhaustion. There were other reported suicides.
He was originally buried in Ham Communal Cemetery but on 27 June 1968, he was one of three soldiers whose bodies were removed and reburied ('concentrated') at Terlinchthun British Cemetery, Wimille, France.
Additional Information
His widow, Mrs F R F Boileau, Windout House, Exeter, ordered his headstone inscription: “AMAVIMUS AMAMUS AMABIMUS". (We have loved, we love, we will love) His widow received a war gratuity of £100 Probate was granted to Mary Aurora Boileau, widow, on 30 November with effects of £1044 4s 5d. There appears to be no particular connection to Hemel Hempstead, apart from a close association with General Smith-Dorrien of Berkhamsted, or with the Smeathman family from Hemel Hempstead.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, hemelheroes.com
