Graham Francombe
Memorial: Downend - Christ Church
Regiment: Kings Royal Rifle Corps
Medals: British War Medal, Next of Kin Memorial Plaque 1914 - 1921, Victory Medal
Rank and number: Rifleman A/202812
Parents: George and Caroline Francombe (nee Sheppard)
Marital status: Single
Home address: Victoria Street, Staple Hill, Bristol
Pre-war occupation: Worker in bake house
Date of birth: 16/08/1889
Place of birth: Dowend Road, Downend, Bristol
Date of death: 27/03/1918
Buried/Commemorated at: Pozieres Memorial (Panel 61 to 64), Departement de la Somme, Picardie, France
Age: 28
Further information:
Graham Francombe was one of seven children born to parents George and Caroline Francombe. He first served as Private S/4/146940 in the Supply section of the Army Service Corps in Kitchener's Fourth Army due to his pre-war occupation in a bakery before being transferred to the 17th (Service) Battalion (British Empire League), King's Royal Rifle Corps. Formed in May 1915 in London the KRRC landed at Le Havre, France on 8th March 1916 for service on the Western Front. On 21st March 1918 the German Army launched a large-scale offensive against the Allied front on the Somme battlefield. The offensive is known as the Kaiserschlacht or the Kaiser's Battle. The offensive on the Somme battle sector was codenamed Operation Michael. It was the first of several German large-scale attacks made against the Allied line on the northern part of the Western Front in the spring of 1918. The 17th KRRR took part in The Battle of Rosieres between 26th - 27th March 1918 during which Private Francombe was mortally wounded, dying on 27th March. His body was not recovered so has no known grave but is commemorated on Panel 61 to 64 on the Pozieres Memorial.
Commemorated on the Christ Church Downend and Staple Hill (Page Park) Memorials.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Find A Grave Index, Soldiers Died In The Great War, UK Censuses, David Blackmore – Mangotsfield Residents Association