Francis (Frank) Drew
Memorial: Frampton Cotterell - St. Peter’s Church
Regiment: Grenadier Guards
Medals: British War Medal, Next of Kin Memorial Plaque 1914 - 1921, Victory Medal
Rank and number: Private (Service No. 31237)
Parents: William and Sarah Jane (nee Burcombe) Drew
Marital status: Married
Home address: Home Address: Adams Land, Coalpit Heath/Frampton Cotterell Lived: 1901 and 1911 Census, the family lived in Coalpit Heath/Frampton Cotterell
Pre-war occupation: Farm Worker
Date of birth: 1895
Place of birth: Westerleigh
Date of death: 01/10/1918
Buried/Commemorated at: Demicourt Communal Cemetery, Nord, France
Age: 23
Further information:
The birth registration is in the name of Francis and on the 1901 and 1911 Census, he is referred to as Frank. His father was a coal miner.
The war diaries of the 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards in the first week of October mention that a trench wall collapsed during training killing two men. Although not named, this is probably the incident that killed Frank.
Frank married Mabel Adams in 2nd Quarter 1918 (Bristol District) and they had one son Harold – born 30/7/1918, and he was baptised in St Michaels Church, Winterbourne on 12/09/1918. On the pension card, the address for Mabel was Dragon Road, Winterbourne, and this was the address of her parents (Charles and Anne Adams).
Frank died on 1.10.18 (killed accidentally whilst on active service).
Frank is commemorated on the Frampton Cotterell St Peters Church Memorial and the Winterbourne St Michael’s Archangel Church Memorial.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Findmypast (Soldiers Died during the Great War, 1901 & 1911 Census etc), Researcher John Davis.