Family :

Education & Career :

Held a pre-military career as a Solicitor and commissioner of oaths if and when perhaps living at 20 Bridge Street, in the firm Brewer & Lavender whose premise was 44-46 Lichfield Street, Wolverhampton.

Service Life:

Campaigns:

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

France & Flanders covers all the dates and corresponding locations which are outside the official battle nomenclature dates on the Western Front. Therefore the actions in which these men died could be considered 'normal' trench duty - the daily attrition losses which were an everyday fact of duty on the Western Front.

Detail :

Walsall Observer, and South Staffordshire Chronicle 24 March 1917 "ROLL OF HONOUR - OFFICERS - KILLED IN ACTION - Second-Lieut. Frank Ashley Lavender. Official information was received on Monday by Mrs. F.W. Lavender, "Queensville," Belvidere Road, that her second son, Second-Lieutenant F. Ashley Lavender was killed in action on March 14. Writing to Mrs. Lavender, a captain says: "W all miss "Uncle Ashley very much indeed. He had a pleasant, happy way with him, and was very much liked by everybody- and especially so by the men. He had done some very good work with the battalion, and acted company-commander and adjutant, and discharged both with great common-sense and marked ability. Not one of the many officers who are gone this time is regretted by his fellow officers more; and I must say, personally I have lost a true friend upon whom I could always rely. He has been second in command of the company with me for some time now, and I never knew him fail." A major-general writes: "Lieutenant F.A. Lavender, -th South Staffords, was killed early on the morning of the 14th inst., when leading his platoon to the attack. the behaviour of the whole battalion was so gallant and determined that it is not easy to differentiate between the action of officers or men. your son stood out in this respect, and met his end in the full performance of his duties, fearlessly at the head of his men. It should be some consolation to you to know this, and to realise that he died as a brave and gallant soldier should. He was buried with other comrades in the British cemetery near. I deplore most deeply the loss of a very capable young officer." A solicitor, 30 years of age, and single, practising in Bridge Street, Walsall, and Wolverhampton. Lieut. Lavender obtained his commission in December, 1915, and joined his battalion of the South Staffords in France in June last. He was a Freemason, being a member of a Wolverhampton lodge. He was educated at Queen Mary's School, Walsall, and Christ's Hospital, London. His father, the late Mr F.W. Lavender, was for many years chairman of the Walsall Board of Guardians. His mother is also a member of the Board of Guardians and hon. secretary of the Home for Soldiers' and Sailors' Children in Birmingham Road. Four brothers are on active service. Sergeant-Major F.B. Lavender is with the Canadian engineers: he had held a commission since 1913 in Canada, but resigned it in order to come over to this side of the Atlantic on active service.. Gunner D.P. Lavender is in France with the Royal Garrison Artillery. Lieutenant S. Salter Lavender, Machine-gun Corps, has been wounded in France, and is now in England. Private V.R. Lavender, of the Universities and Public Schools' Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers, is now on the Recruiting Office staff at Walsall."

Probate record shows: LAVENDER, Frank Ashley of Queensville, Belvidere Road, Staffordshire, Second Lietenant, 1/5th South Staffordshire Regiment, died 14th March 1917, being killed in action in France. Probate Lichfield 19 September to Sydney Salter Lavender, a Lieutenant in H.M. Army and Victor Crooke, Solicitor. Effects £1151 16s 9d.

Commemorated on the Roll of Christ's Hospital.

Masonic :

He was mobilised shortly after he was initiated into Freemasonry and therefore unsurprising that Frank only made Entered Apprentice. The records of the Lodge show that he was resident at Queensville, Walsall in December 1915 and that he was a Solicitor. War service is recorded and that he was "Killed in Action April 1917".

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