Family :

Education & Career :

Born at Christchurch on the 30th of March, 1865 Edward Jollie's eldest son returned to England in 1877, with his family. Enrolled as a boarder at the Bellasis Grammar School at Crossgate, County Durham, Frank was subsequently commissioned in the Royal Army at the age of twenty.

Married in 1888 Lieutenant Jollie was on service with the 20th Hussars in Egypt. His only son Orme (Captain Francis Ormonde Holden Jollie) was born at Patea in 1890, but died in 1915, whilst serving in France during the first World War. A memorial plaque in the portico of the cathedral at Christchurch, New Zealand commemorates the loss of the heir to the Jollie fortune.

Subsequent to a visit to his family at Patea in 1892 Frank returned to Army service in India, where his wife died. Jollie returned to England in 1899 and remarried. In 1901 his second wife bore a daughter: Doris Oenone.

Promoted to the rank of Major at the beginning of 1904, he was recorded as a Colonel on a visit to New Zealand in 1913. Two years later as a Lieutenant Colonel of the 28th Indian Light Cavalry Brigade Jollie distinguished himself in German East Africa during the First World War.

After that War Frank and Elsa retired to St Helier on Jersey in the Channel Islands, where they purchased Gloster House, a substantial Georgian residence, from a Lady Otway. Known to be still alive in 1921, Frank's later history is yet to be ascertained.

Their home was used as a casino for German officers during the next World War. As a widow Elizabeth Jane Jollie was recorded as being still resident at Gloster House in 1953. Subsequently renovated as an hotel, it was used as accommodation for the crew during filming of the Bergerac television series.

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

22 April - 25 May 1915. On the 22nd April 1915 the Germans used poison gas at Ypres. This was the first 'official' use of gas and took the Allies by surprise. After initial success capitalising on the confusion and horror of this weapon, a heroic stand, initially by the Canadians and then supported by British and Indian Battalions, held the German advance. However it became clear that the Germans had achieved a tactical advantage and eventually the British were forced to retire to more a more defendable perimeter closer to Ypres. These positions were on the last ridges before Ypres and their loss would have resulted in the loss of the town and possibly open the Channel coast to German occupation with disastrous consequences for the re-supply of the BEF.

Detail :

War Diary In Trenches at Potijze 24/5/15 Aboit 3am the whole line held by the battalion was heavily gassed and the right rear near the railway was attacked. C Coy on the right with 2 companies of 8/Middlesex retired and no trace of the Coy has yet been found (31/5/1915). ORs killed 5, Wounded 19, Missing 157, suffering from gas poisoning 24.

Probate JOLLIE Franciw Ormonde Holden of Westoe House South Shields captain 2nd East Surrey regiment died 25 April 1915 at Zonnebeke Flanders Administration (limited) Durham 14 March to William Anderson Armstrong solicitor attorney of Francis Jollie. Effects £427 17s. 5d.

Masonic :

Initiated 1911 as a Lieutenant at Shwebo, Bengal into Ormond-Iles Lodge No.3433, aged 21 years. An influx of officers and NCOs from the 2nd Battalion, East Surrey Regiment joined around this time. He resigned 28th October, 1913. He then joined Fidelity Lodge No. 2061 whilst at Ranikhet, Bengal 14th April, 1914 listed as a Lieutenant based at the same locale, but he resigned 31st October, 1914. He rose to the office of Junior Deacon in this latter lodge.

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley