97 Wellington Remembers 1914–1918 123 41977 Private Frank

Wellington Remembers 1914–1918 123 41977 Private Frank Padmore Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers Born on 15 February 1895 in Wellington, Shropshire Lived in Cemetery Road and Baden Terrace, Wellington Killed in action on 16 August 1917 aged 22 in France and Flanders Remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial; panels 70 to 72 His story John Padmore and Margaret Williams married on 7 December 1889 at Christ Church in Wellington. John was a hoop shaver which means he made the hoops for casks and barrels. He had been living in Watling Street, where their first child, Harry, was born on 8 October 1890. Daughter Edith was born in 1882 and by the time Frank was born the family was living in Cemetery Road. Frank was baptised at All Saints, Wellington on 13 March 1895. In 1901 the family, now with another two daughters, was living in Haygate Road (which was the new name for Cemetery Road) and John was working as a labourer in a timber yard. Frank’s younger brother, Ernest, completed the family in 1904. When the 1911 census was taken, the family were living in Baden Terrace, John was working as a sawyer and Frank was working as a warehouse assistant at the timber yard. Frank’s attestation papers haven’t survived, but we do know that it probably happened towards the end of 1916 when he was living at Wantwick near Warrington. He enlisted into the Cheshire Regiment at Chester, with the number 62428. Frank’s medal record roll confirms that he was one of at least 28 men who transferred from the Cheshire Regiment to the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Frank was given a new number when he transferred to Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Using the service records of two men with similar numbers, we have deduced that Frank arrived in France at the end of June with a draft from the Cheshire Regiment. Very soon after they arrived they were posted to 8th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, under command of 49th Brigade, to replace casualties incurred during the Battle of Messines. They joined their new battalion in July 1917. In July 1917 the battalion was in reserve, training and route marching. In the early hours of 31 July they marched to Redrose Camp in the Brandhoek area. The events of the following weeks became known as the Third Battle of Ypres, which is also known as Passchendaele. On 4 August, there was intermittent enemy shelling throughout the day and night, and considerable enemy aerial activity, with 29 aeroplanes being observed over Lancer Farm. 97 Wellington Remembers 1914–1918 The following day the battalion moved forward to the front line to relieve the 6th Battalion Royal Irish Regiment. The war diary entry for the next day reported: ‘Enemy shelled our positions continuously throughout the day, Square farm particularly receiving much attention . Enemy snipers were very active and all movement by daylight was impossible . [The defence] Line consisted of linked shell holes and was in very wet condition . Enemy aircraft active . Ours very inactive ’. The enemy continued to shell the battalion’s positions heavily the next day, and the weather conditions remained ‘very bad’. There followed a couple of days’ relief from the front line, when the battalion moved back to bivouacs, the strain of the previous days telling, as the war diary describes: ‘The troops were in a much exhausted condition on arrival due to the strain of holding a rough and very wet line where shelters did not exist, for two days under very severe weather conditions, and under continuous enemy shell fire.’ From 8 August the battalion had the opportunity for bathing, rest and relaxation before moving back to the front line on 14 August. It must have been at this time that Frank wrote his last letter home. Much of the first page is difficult to decipher; he does say ‘up to present have pulled through with rather some great experiences but still we are cheer oh it’s all bringing the end,’ and towards the end of the first page ‘ . but. we are in the wrong place to get photos taken but you shall have the first…’ The second page is easier to read: Remember me to all the family hoping they are all well and tell them… a line sometime, I Remain yours, Frank PS Will you please send me something to kill Jackdawkers, for I assure you we get a very good breed at times all we can do at present is to have a night attack on the shirt. Jackdawkers was a term used to describe lice, which were a constant problem to the troops throughout the war. The following day was spent getting into position for another attack. By 2.30am on 16 August the Frank’s letter home men were all in the assembly positions, advancing at 4.45am as planned. It was during this attack that Private Frank Podmore was killed, at just 22 years of age. It wasn’t until 9.00pm that the advanced posts near Borry Farm were withdrawn to the original front line. 98 Wellington Remembers 1914–1918 For his service to his country, Frank qualified for the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. His war gratuity of £3 was paid to his father. When the 1939 register was taken, Frank’s parents were still living in their home at 7 Baden Terrace. John died in Wellington in 1948 and Margaret in Hadley in 1954. Frank’s older brother, Harry, also lived in Baden Terrace, at number 6, with his wife, Elsie, and daughter, Freda; he died in Wellington in 1964. Frank’s younger brother lived in Wolverhampton in 1939 with his wife, Mildred, and daughter, Jean, and died in 1972 in Seisdon, Staffordshire. Notes: We have estimated Frank’s service with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers from the service records of Walter Nightingale number 41974 and William Roberts number 41987. Acknowledgements: The image of Frank’s letter is used with permission of his family. 99.

Load more