Name
Frank William Curtis
3 May 1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant
Leicestershire Regiment
6th Battalion
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Panel Ref. 50 to 51
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Harpenden Town Memorial, Church of St Nicholas Memorial, Harpenden, Altar & Reredos, Bedford School, Bedford, Plaque, Chapel, Bedford School, Bedford
Pre War
Frank William was born on 3 May 1894 in Leytonstone, Essex, the eldest son of James Curtis and Cecilia Beatrice (nee Rowlinson). He was educated in Colombo, Ceylon and at Bedford Grammar School from 1905 to 1911.
The 1911 Census shows Frank living with his widowed mother together with his younger brother Claud and his sister Dorothy at Devon Road, Bedford. The family later moved to Longcroft, Harpenden.
Wartime Service
Frank volunteered early after war broke out and was initially enlisted as Private 3730 in the Royal Fusiliers. He was quickly transferred to an Officer Training Corps and commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant on 24 Nov 1914 in the Leicestershire Regiment.
On 2 Jan 1916 he went to Salonika on attachment to King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. He was invalided home at the end of 1916 after spending some time in Hospital in Malta, suffering from malaria.
He went to France on 2 March 1917 to re-join the Leicestershires but was wounded on 28 Apr 1917. Recovering he returned to France on 2 Sep 1917. He was killed when waiting to go into action near Polygon Wood at Reutal, Belgium on 4 Nov 1917. A shell fell into the trench killing Frank and 3 others. His remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
Additional Information
Probate of £552 4 s 11d was granted to his mother and a later probate was granted of £158 8s 11 to his siblings.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
