Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Grave: | Kantara War Memorial Cemetery | C.40 | |
Awards & Titles: | Queen's South Africa Medal 3 Clasps King's South African Campaign Medal 1901 & 1902 | ||
Early Life :
Henry Francis was the son of Henry James and Annie Clifford of Frampton Court, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire. He was educated at Haileybury 1885-1888, then at Christ Church College, Oxford University.See more: Christ Church College.
Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 1st Royal Gloucester Hussars |
"The Gloucestershire Yeomanry Also known as the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars 1/1st August 1914 : in Gloucester. Part of the 1st South Midland Mounted Brigade in 1st Mounted Division. Moved on mobilisation to Bury St Edmunds. Late that month, moved with Brigade to Newbury and transferred to 2nd Mounted Division. Moved to Kings Lynn in November 1914. April 1915 : moved to Egypt, arriving Alexandria 24 April. August 1915 : landed at Gallipoli, dismounted. Landed at ""A"" Beach, Suvla Bay on 18 August. Took part in attack on Chocolate Hill and Hill 112 on 21 August. Early September 1915 : Severe sickness, together with battle casualties, resulted in temporary reorganisation together with 1/1st Warwickshire and 1/1st Worcestershire Yeomanry, to form 1st South Midland Regiment, 1st Composite Mounted Brigade. Continued in trench warfare activities in Green Hill and Chocolate Hill sectors until evacuated to Mudros on 31 October 1915, with a strength of only 81 men of all ranks. December 1915 : withdrew from Gallipoli and returned to Egypt. January 1916 : Brigade became an independent command and was retitled as 5th Mounted Brigade. February 1917 : Brigade transferred to Imperial Mounted Division. June 1917 : Division retitled Australian Mounted Division. August 1918 : brigade retitled 13th Cavalry Brigade and transferred to 5th cavalry Division " |
| Action : Egypt |
Egypt was the base for the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force which was engaged in the region, primarily against the Turks. In the early stages of the war Egypt was threatened by Turkish advances towards Suez which were defeated and the Turks retreated to Palestine. Most of the effort of the MEF was thereafter directed towards operations in Palestine and Syria. Many of those buried and commemorated in Egypt succumbed to wounds, disease or were army victims of naval actions in the region.
Detail :
He served in the South African Campaign (1900-01) with the Gloucestershire Imperial Yeomanry, and was commissioned in the field. He was awarded the South Africa Queen's Medal with 3 clasps (Cape Colony, Transvaal, Wittebergen)
At the outbreak of war, he returned to his regiment, the Gloucestershire Yeomanry with the rank of Major "B" Squadron, 1st Royal Gloucestershire Hussars. He was killed in action at Rafa (at that time in Egypt and now in the Gaza Strip).
He is also commemorated at Frampton Church by a tablet (1920).
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Apollo University No. 357 E.C. | Oxfordshire |
| Joined : | Royal Gloucestershire No. 839 E.C. | Gloucestershire |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
13th February 1894 | 12th June 1894 | 27th November 1894 |
Undergraduate of Christ Church College, Oxford University at the time of his initiation in 1894. He remained a member until his resignation 31st December, 1902. He also had joined Royal Gloucestershire Lodge No. 839 on 6th May 1895, but resigned from this lodge 26th December, 1905. At the time of his death he was not recorded against any lodge, which is why he does not appear on the 1921 roll or 1940 scroll.
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