Private, 5th Battalion Cheshire Regiment.
Died of illness, 20th October 1918, age 29.
Burial location unknown.
Former student of engineering.
Frank was born in Northwich, Cheshire, the third of four children, and only son, to Herbert, a local headmaster, and Annie Caress. He attended Winnington Park School. He mother died in 1901 and he moved to Wilton Grammar School and then Elstow School in Bedford where he was a member of the school Officer Training Corps. In October 1910 he joined Manchester University to study engineering and resided at Hulme Hall (resident No. 321). He struggled academically and after failing the intermediate exams twice he left the University.
On 8th August 1914 Frank enlisted with the 5th Battalion Cheshire Regiment. Having completed almost 6 months of training Frank’s health failed and he was medically discharged in ealrly 1915 because of vision problems and was noted as anaemic. His unit left for France shortly after. At some point he found work as an engineer on the SS Irishman with the Atlantic Transport Line, and would have been at risk of his ship being sunk by German submarines.
In June 1918 Frank married Florence May Shilliday in Northwich. Four months later he died of pneumonia at Greenwich Seamen’s Hospital.