Name
Frank Miller Crane
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
10/03/1915
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
3/7828
Bedfordshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LE TOURET MEMORIAL
Panel 10-11
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin War Memorial, Holy Saviour Church War Memorial, Radcliffe Rd., Hitchin, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin
Pre War
He was the son of Robert Crane of 13, Trinity Place, Cambridge. He was born in Cambridge and was resident there, but enlisted in Hitchin.
Husband of Sarah Crane of 23, Adam and Eve Row, Cambridge.
Wartime Service
Frank was given the Regimental Number 317829 and posted to the 2nd Battalion of the Regiment which was in the 21st Brigade, 7th Division, IV Corps of the 1st Army. He was killed in action in France.
The Battalion was about to take part in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle and moved to billets at Laventie on the 9th March 1915, in order to be near their assembly line. They arrived in the trenches of the assembly area at 5.00am on the 10th March 1915 ready for the Brigade attack in the direction of Moulin-du-Pietre, north east of Neuve Chapelle. The day was misty, cold and raw with rain later and the Brigade was held up by severe fire. The 2nd Bedfords were the Brigade Reserve and at 3.30pm they advanced, being deployed in two lines with two Companies in each line. They suffered from rifle and shellfire and had to cross a bare field of mud under shellfire from both sides and many men were killed on the wire in No Man's Land. Later there was considerable rifle fire before they dug in for the night. There were 16 dead and missing among the other ranks of the Battalion on that day, plus a large number of wounded.
He has no known grave and is remembered on Panels 10 and 11 of Le Touret Memorial to the Missing in the Pas de Calais, France.
Additional Information
Son of Robert Crane, of 13, Trinity Place, Cambridge; husband of Sarah Crane, of 23, Adam and Eve Row, Cambridge.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
