Name
Francis Henry Bradbeer
21 August 1891
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/03/1918
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
Essex Regiment
11th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
Bay 7
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Holy Trinity Church Memorial, Weston, Alleynes Grammar School War Memorial Gates, Stevenage, Not on the Codicote memorials
Pre War
Francis Henry Bradbeer was born 21 August 1891 in Codicote, the eldest son of Alfred and Margaret Bradbeer, and baptised at St Giles, Codicote, on 27 September 1891. He was one of five children.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at the School House, Weston, Herts, where his father was the Schoolmaster.
He was educated at Alleynes Grammar School, Stevenage and Pitman's Metropolitan School, and was a Cashier with Messrs Inns & Co, Contractors.
On the 1911 Census he was living at home with his family at Weston, nr Stevenage and working as a Stockbroker's Clerk.
Wartime Service
Francis joined the 4th Bn., Bedfordshire Regiment on 3 September 1914, then transferred to the 6th Bn. He arrived in France on 11 August 1915 and was promoted to Lance Corporal on 4 May 1916.
He was wounded at Pozieres on 15 July 1916, suffering a bullet wound to the shoulder, and sent to a Casualty Clearing Station and then by 104 Ambulance to 2nd Western General Hospital, Manchester, where he stayed for 31 days, later returning to the Front.
He returned to England the following February and was accepted for Officer Training on 14 March 1917 at the Cadet School at Pirbright, Surrey, being gazetted 2nd Lieutenant, in the 11th Battalion, Essex Regt. on 26 June 1917. He returned to France the following August. His last leave to the UK was 17 – 31 January 1918.
Francis was killed in action between Morchies and Lagnicourt on 21 March 1918. An obituary in the North Herts Mail stated that he was hit in the head by a bullet and died within half an hour. It is possible that he was injured but was lost in the ensuing battle and therefore was listed as missing.
He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £16 and pay owing of £64 18s 11d. Probate was granted on 22 May 1918 to his father, Alfred Harrison Bradbeer, schoolmaster, with effects of £303 172 5d.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Peter Handy, Brenda Palmer
